


Trade for the Better

by SepZet



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Collector Series (Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, BDSM, Barsad is weird don't judge him, Blow Jobs, Body Horror, Cunnilingus, Depression, Dom/sub, Don't Judge Me, F/M, Foursome - F/M/M/M, Gore, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Multi, Pegging, Pony Play, Psychological Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Ridiculous amounts of jizz, Rimming, Scarification, Sex Toys, Spanking, Threesome - F/M/M, Torture, Violent foreplay, Watersports, Will add on with each chapter, kinda pony play more like deer play
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:05:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 150,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4952785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SepZet/pseuds/SepZet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even with Gotham was occupied, some of the wealthy sought to keep their possessions, even if it meant they would reach an untimely end. One family chooses to try and bargain with the terrorists to remain safely in their home, but the price of survival isn't always what it seems. And sometimes, a difficult situation is just what you need.</p>
<p>IE a family sells their daughter so they can keep all their shiny expensive shit. Life gets freaky after that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Compromise

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so I mostly post just fandom stuff on other sites, like DA back in the day and more recently tumblr, but I don't post OC-insert stuff because it's never really gone well for me. But hey, I guess I'll give it another shot on here, see how I feel about it.  
> This fic is currently about 106K and still growing, and I'm just going to warn you that it's the sappiest shit I've ever written. Definitely OOC for these characters, dumb and self serving and just...really, really awful.  
> It gets kinda kinky later and there's a lot of fluff and...well whatever. Read it at your own risk, is all I'm saying!

It isn’t the first time she hates being wealthy, and it certainly won’t be the last. It’s not that she doesn’t appreciate what all that money can get her in life, but she hates the weight of it, the stuffy air. If only they hadn’t always had the wealth, her family would appreciate it more. Instead, they lived lavishly and without restraint…she hated it. There was no care to the way they spent money, like they were invincible.

They weren’t.

She watched the TV with wide eyes as the masked madman announced the fate of the city, as prison was broken in to, as the city fell. She was terrified, with good reason. They were targets. For all their wealth, they would now be pursued and killed for their wealth.

She didn’t know what to do. She thought they would be tortured for all they had.

She didn’t know that the fear would be worse.

+++++++++

“Don’t you fucking scream at me! This has nothing to do with us. There was no way to stop it!”

“If you had just let me put in more security, we could last against the rabble. Now we have nothing to use! We’ll be slaughtered!”

Sep flinched as she leaned against the door of her room, listening to her mother and father argue downstairs. They were terrified, like her; they had never yelled this loud before. They were all just waiting for the end to come…no one knew when.

“We have walls and we have guards! I thought that would be enough!”

“You thought wrong!”

The ringing sound of a slap echoed through the halls, making her flinch. She hated when her mother struck her father…everything in the household seemed to tilt, waiting for everything to go back to normal…but it wouldn’t. As they spoke, they knew that mobs were working their way closer.

“We will find a way to survive. You can cower in fear, but I will find a way. Surely…” Her mother trailed off, and for a moment, Sep pressed closer to the door, trying to hear what could have caught her attention. “Money. All madmen want money. Find a way to contact this…this madman.”

Geezus. Her mother was insane. Sep let out a low sigh, just wondering when death would come. How it would come. Would they be killed quickly? Would they be tortured? Would…would something worse happen to her, because she was a woman? She didn’t want to think about it.

Sliding to the floor, Sep still stayed slumped against her door. It was agony to wait. On the news, so many people had been dragged onto the street, beaten, torn apart. She didn’t want it to happen to her. She just…she didn’t even want the life she had before. She wasn’t happy, no matter how hard she tried. Her school, the people she was around…they were all…they didn’t suit her. It made her ache to think about those she could have met, if she had lived differently. All those opportunities…gone.

She let her eyes close, wondering what it would be like to die. Was it really just…nothing? Just an end to it all? A complete and utter end to her existence…so bleak…terrifying.

She didn’t want to die. No one really did, but…she just had so much more she wanted to do. She didn’t want to stay in this life forever. She wanted to be free, to be happy, to have so much more going for her than just…being rich. She just wanted that chance. She just-

Voices.

Downstairs.

It startled her awake, hearing voices. It had been so silent for so long, and her curiosity got the better of her. She just had to crack her door open, peering out.

“Are you sure it’s him?”

“I have no idea.” Her mother.

She crawled out of her room on her belly, coming to the edge of the railing before the stairs, peering down. Her mother and father stood in the center of the foyer, facing the front door. It was like they were waiting for something… She frowned, gripping the railing tight.

And waiting they were. She jerked in surprise when she heard the loud rumble of what sounded like a tank outside, and the voices…voices of men. She pressed down lower in fear of it, her heart starting to hammer. What had her mother done? Who was here?

The doors clicked open, light pouring in the dark foyer. Headlights had to be pointing in, blinding her for a moment. When Sep opened her eyes again, she saw men coming in, men in armor, men with guns, spilling into the house like a flood. What was strange was that that wasn’t the most unnerving thing…what frightened her the most were the two men that entered last, striding slowly through the open doors.

The madman, and a smaller, sleepy eyed man who cradled the largest rifle she had ever seen like it was his lover.

The madman had his head lifted proudly, hands clasped in his collar, his boots thudding on the floor as he approached her parents, stopping a few feet in front of them. The sleepy eyed man stepped up beside him, but his eyes kept flicking around the foyer, always scanning, never resting.

“Thank you for coming,” Her mother said politely, nodding as if she were greeting a foreign ambassador…Sep hated entertaining the ambassadors. They were always so stuffy and not nearly as charming as they thought they were.

The madman rumbled faintly, like a sleepy bear, blinking slowly…and said nothing.

Her mother fumbled. “Right. So. We watched your news cast. Very compelling. We were so inspired by it that we thought we could help finance your campaign and-”

“I have no need of finances any longer,” the madman finally said, startling her mother. “Money will not purchase what I need.”

“O-Oh. Then perhaps we can provide something-”

“You seek to bargain with me as you wish to gain something from me,” the madman cut off, looking weary with her mother. “What is it?”

“I would never! That would be-”

“Lying to me would be worse than telling me what it is that you desire,” he growled, eyes narrowing, and for once, her mother actually looked scared. “Out with it. You waste my time.”

“Protection from the mob,” her mother blurted, face white as a sheet. “We want to live.”

“No, you want to remain in your lavish lifestyle. You could live very well if you cast off your gilded chains and hide among the people, but no, here you squat, waiting for the end. I tire of you already,” the madman snapped, turning away. “You will choke and die on your silver spoon.”

The sleepy eyed man finally turned, but instead of following his leader, he whispered something soft, something lyrical. Probably not English, but either way, the madman stopped, head turned slightly towards his companion, listening intently. Whatever the man said, it made the madman turn back.

And look straight up at her.

She resisted the urge to gasp in fear as their eyes met, but she couldn’t look away. The madman stared for a long time, blinking slowly before he looked down at his companion again. The sleepy eyed man said something again, then turned to look at her as well. A faint smile curled at his lips.

He winked.

What the hell…?

“You wish to live here as you did before. I cannot guarantee that. Food will not be the same. Nor will electricity, warmth, running water. However, you may stay in this house.”

“Yes!” Her mother gasped, pleased at winning some kind of victory. “We’ll give anything for that.”

“My men and I will set up here. You will live beside us, as we do, and you will see what humanity survives on while you had settled so lavishly up here. The cost.” He didn’t look at her, but he pointed straight at her, making her flinch. “That child is mine.”

“What?” Both her mother and father sputtered, confused, finally looking up at her. “Yours?”

“Your daughter is mine now. I will use her as I see fit. If she screams, you will not come. If I see fit to string her from the bridge as a sign to the world, you will not speak up. The price for your home is your daughter.” The madman spoke clearly, like what he said wasn’t utterly cruel. Sep felt sick that anyone would ever-

“Deal.”

“Mom!” Sep finally gasped, scrambling so she could stand, since she wasn’t as hidden as she thought. “You…mom!”

Her mother wouldn’t look at her. Her father started to weep quietly.

“Mom?” She finally asked again, her voice weak, disbelieving.

“We have a deal, then,” the madman finally said, and he strode forward, brushing between her parents like they were nothing.

When men started to come up the stairs, she panicked. They were coming for her. They were…it was… no! She let out a terrified sob as she twisted and bolted into her room, slamming the door shut and locking it, then shoving her dresser in front of it. No no no, her mother couldn’t have….this was a joke. It had to be a joke. Her mother wouldn’t just sell her to a madman…would she? How could she? Just to live in their house while the city fell apart? Did she really mean so little?

No one tried to break the door down. She heard men walking around, the slide of furniture, barked orders…but no one touched her door. It didn’t stop her from being afraid, wondering if they were going to come for her.

She wasn’t safe anymore. Not with the madman.

+++++++++++++++

She had some forethought before the city fell apart, with a minifridge stocked with food and water. She was rationing that out as much as she could, but her supplies were dwindling. She was lucky enough to have a connected bathroom, so she didn’t need to leave…but food. Her food was disappearing faster than she thought it could. She thought she was being good about it, but she really wasn’t. She’d never had to ration food before. She was chubby too, so she just…she wasn’t good at this.

The soldiers outside were probably just waiting for her to fail. They knew she would have to come out sometime…and then they…. She shuddered, pressing down lower in her bed. She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t…she’d had sex before, but she knew rape was something totally different. The press, the weight, the violence…who knew how many soldiers were out there, just waiting for a chance to…

Ugh. And she was just dragging it out. What was she waiting for, anyways? She would have to go out eventually. She was just…it was going to happen. Her mother had sold her. She had no allies out there. It was…just her.

She had to face it eventually. She couldn’t hide. There would be her suffering soon. She resigned herself to it as she put on her simplest clothes, tying her hair up. She didn’t want them to pull her hair when they mounted her. She just…she wanted to get it over with.

It was a slow process to push the dresser away from her door, but she still lingered with her hand on the door handle, taking deep breaths before unlocking it. She half expected someone to burst in instantly, but when there was no sound outside her door, she slowly opened it.

They had changed the house greatly while she had hidden. Sleeping bags, mattresses, all little living areas were set up all throughout the halls, little corners where a soldier slumped in sleep. Nothing was destroyed, really, just added on to. It was also fairly quiet, with soft murmurs and faint shuffling…it was strange.

But she was hungry, and she wasn’t about to let her momentary peace slide. She shuffled out, glancing warily around her. There were so many soldiers…so far most of them were asleep, but as she edged downstairs, she started to hear voices better, knowing that people were awake. If they saw her…they might attack. But she wanted to get it over with, so she just steeled herself and headed towards the kitchen.

Right before the kitchen, there was a table set up. Five or so men sat around the table, playing some board game she couldn’t identify. They were speaking and laughing in low tones in some language she didn’t understand, but that didn’t matter. She was just waiting for them to notice her and come running towards her.

The sleepy eyed man was there. He’d had the audacity to wink at her before his leader had…had demanded her as payment. What a fucking prick…probably got off on-

His eyes flickered up, spotting her. She went tense, fear gripping her throat as she stared at him. A smile tugged at his lips as he sat up a little straighter, making it quite obvious what he was looking at. Oh god. It was going to happen.

“The little bird emerges from her nest!” He said brightly, making all the men turn their heads to look at her.

What? She faltered, looking away for a moment. “Um…I…”

“Care to join us?” He continued, gesturing to the table when she looked at him in surprise. “There is always room for one more.”

Awkwardness made her forget her fear as she shuffled forward awkwardly. “What are you playing?”

“We are playing ifranjiah, a…it is Arabic?” He shrugged, waving a few of the men over so she could sit beside the sleepy eyed man. He started to explain the rules, which started to sound suspiciously like backgammon, resetting the pieces on the board. The other men at the table didn’t seem to mind, just watching quietly.

She really was forgetting her fear, even when her stomach rumbled loudly and reminded her of why she had left her room. The sound seemed to startle the sleepy eyed man, but he recovered enough to laugh, patting the table.

“Little bird was hunting, eh? I interrupted the scavenging… Stevens, why don’t you fetch something for our little bird?” The man smiled as a soldier got up from the table and went into the kitchen. And the man just turned back to his game, teaching her a bit more before starting to play again, giving her a chance to watch and learn.

It was strange. She was confused, especially when the man brought her a bowl of oatmeal. It felt almost decadent that they had mixed in dried fruits, especially with the rich being destroyed…was this was they usually ate? She accepted it gratefully, pleased that it was hot, eating it carefully, no matter how hungry she was. She didn’t want to make herself sick on it. And the men just…kept playing their game, speaking in English now that she was there, talking about nothing more than simple things.

She finished her oatmeal quietly, continuing to watch for a while. Were they just working her up to it? Or were they…

“What is your name, little bird?” The sleepy eyed man finally asked, setting down his piece on the board, smiling when his opponent cursed.

“Sep,” she said softly, glancing over.

“Good to finally meet you, little bird. My name is Barsad.” He flashed a smile her way, flicking off his opponent when the man said something in Arabic to him. “What took you so long to emerge?”

“I…ran out of food. And I wanted to get it over with.”

“Get what over with?”

She looked at him in surprise, swallowing hard. “I…I’ve been sold like a piece of meat. I thought…”

“You expected to be used like one by the men?” Barsad said brightly, like it wasn’t something horrible. “We would never,” he finally said, shrugging. “After all, you are Bane’s, if anything. If he wanted to use you, he would. No matter how much furniture you piled against your door, as I’m sure you did…he would have found a way inside.”

“Is that supposed to be reassuring?” Her voice was a mere squeak at this point, figuring that Bane was the masked madman.

“Frankly…yes. As you have been sold to Bane, no man would dare touch you without his permission. And Bane is…well, he has not come for you, has he?”

“I don’t understand. I am glad for the peace, but I just…why did he want me in exchange for my parents’ safety? It seems like he’s lost some in the trade.”

“Do you want him to use you?”

“No! God no!” She waved her hands wildly, blushing when the men at the table laughed at her for it. “I just…he’s a mastermind, right? He has to have some kind of reasoning for what he does, right?”

“Of course.” Barsad reached over, patting her arm softly. “But I think it’s best if he explains it to you.”

“Would he…does he talk? Like…normally?”

The men laughed at that, making her duck down, but Barsad just squeezed her arm. “Our Bane is quite eloquent, actually. Come.”

“Come?” She watched with wide eyes as he rose, staring at his offered hand. “Where are we going?”

“To meet your captor.”

“Oh geez.” She swallowed hard, finally reaching out to take his hand. He helped her up, not releasing her hand when he turned and headed off through the house. As much as she was nervous about it, she still let her eyes wander over what had been done to their house. It was peaceful…no one seemed violent or angry. I was just…peaceful. Strange. She expected soldiers to be loud and boisterous, but they were just…just men.

She finally remembered to look up when they passed into another room, startled when she saw it was their library. It was the one thing she was proud of in their house…their book selection. She spent a lot of time in there when avoiding her parents. They didn’t have much time to read, apparently. Everything in there seemed pretty untouched; she half expected the books to have been used for firewood. It warmed her to see all her books there, all her friends in her times of need…

She went cold when she saw the madman standing in front of one of the shelves. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he looked strangely calm as he looked over the books. What…what was he doing?

“Brother,” Barsad said warmly, stopping a few feet behind the masked man. “Our little bird has finally fluttered out among us.”

Bane rumbled faintly, taking his time before turning to face her. She flinched when their eyes met again, finally dropping her gaze to the ground so she didn’t have to look at him. He was so…so intimidating. He had bartered for her. Who knew where her parents even were?

“She wondered why you traded for her…care to explain to our little bird?”

“Barsad please,” she whispered, pleading, mortified. “I’m sorry I asked.”

“I am to explain myself,” Bane cut in, his voice low, startling her. “I have no problem with that.”

“Oh.” She swallowed hard, managing to look up at him. “I just…why…”

Bane looked at her for a long time, just quiet. She didn’t know what he was thinking of, couldn’t read any emotion…until his eyes softened. “When I walked in those front doors, I saw two rich, spoiled brats…and their child hiding on the balcony. She did not stand with her parents, did not lift her chin haughtily in the face of men stronger than her. She watched, she waited, and she shook with fear. I thought to test them.”

“Test?” She felt Barsad squeeze her hand, as if to reassure her…she appreciated it.

“I have found that those that rest in wealth hold no loyalty to one another. I wanted to see how close your parents were to you. I wanted to see if they valued themselves than the life of their child.” Bane’s breath was a slow rasp through his mask, and Sep was close enough o catch a faint medicinal scent from it. “I was not pleased to find that I had assumed correctly about your parents.”

“Oh.”

He blinked slowly, tipping his head to the side as he looked at her. “What is your name?”

“It’s Sep,” she shrugged, picking at the edge of her shirt. “And you’re…you’re Bane.”

“I am.” He looked to Barsad, speaking softly in some language she didn’t understand, the same from the night before. She assumed it was Arabic, or something…she was bad with languages. What were they even talking about? Probably something to do with her, since they were keeping their language to something she didn’t understand.

“I must attend to my duties in the city, little bird,” Barsad said softly, startling her into staring at him.

“What? I…” She glanced away from him, towards Bane. She had only known this sleepy eyed man for a short time…but she felt pretty good with him. He seemed kind, and she had no idea what kind of man Bane was. Sure, he explained himself now, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous about those eyes, that hulking strength. “Do you have to?”

Barsad laughed softly, turning to face her a bit better, leaning in closer to her ear. “So fond of me already, little bird?”

“Wh-what? No I…I…” Her throat was tight with embarrassment, color rising to her cheeks. “I just…I only…”

“I won’t be long, little bird. Don’t let my absence ruffle your feathers too terribly much.” Barsad pressed in, if only for a moment, kissing her on the cheek gently. It only made her blush harder, making a faint wounded sound before the sleepy eyed man swept away, out of the library.

Leaving her.

Alone.

With Bane.

It was like being in a shark tank. Was anyone ever left alone with Bane? Were they ever left there and live? She chewed her lip, clenching her hands tight as she waited for something, anything to come for her.

“Did you spend much time in this library?” Bane finally asked, his voice almost casual. It was enough to make her turn towards him, if only a little. When she nodded faintly, he hummed. “You like to read.”

“My favorite thing to do, really,” she offered, managing a smile as she looked up into those dark, unreadable eyes. “I mostly just…sat in that corner and read every day.” She waved faintly to a window seat. It used to have many blankets and cushions, but those seemed to have been taken for use in the rest of the house.

He hummed, looking towards the window. “What books did you read?” When she looked startled again, his head tilted the other way. “Show me.”

Swallowing hard, she nodded faintly, turning and heading through the library. She paused at a few shelves, plucking books off as she went, bundling them in her arms until she figured she had enough. Bane trailed after her the whole time, saying nothing, even when she spread the books across one of the low tables, letting the covers be easily seen. She fairly scrambled aside when he moved closer, looking over her selection.

“You favor fantasy stories.” He touched a cover, tracing his fingertips over the raised lettering. “Monsters and magic entertain you?”

“I…I like the idea of a world beyond our own. Something different…there has to be something more to reality, you know?” When she glanced at Bane, she saw the understanding in his eyes, and they suddenly seemed less dark than before. “It gives me something to think on, something new to imagine.”

“An escape from your own life.”

“Yes.”

He hummed, hand lifting for a moment before settling on one book. “You read this one often.”

She looked, recognizing the cover. “Oh. Yeah. It’s about a world of vampires, and one man finds a human girl…raises her to be his daughter. It’s funny and…” She noticed the faint tension in his hand suddenly, her eyes snapping up to his face again. “Is that bad?”

“No.” He sighed, stroking the cover fondly, as if he had read it as well. He picked it up, weighing it in his hand before offering it to her. “When is the last time you read it?”

“It’s…been a while.” She accepted it, hugging the book to her chest.

“I would like it very much if you would read it to me.”

“What?” She looked at him in shock, fumbling with the book. “Read it to you?”

“Yes. You are fond of it. It must be a good book, if you read it so often.” He turned, looking around until he spotted her window seat again. “I own you now, do I not? I wish for you to read to me, for a time.” He carefully eased himself into the seat, heaving a heavy sigh as he leaned back. “Books take on a different quality when spoken into the air by someone who loves them dearly. I wish to hear the love you have for these words.”

“Oh.” She looked down at her book like it was a dear child, carefully walking over to her seat. He looked up at her, expectant, gesturing to the seat beside him when she hesitated. She eased herself down, leaning against the window frame, looking at him with wide eyes as he stared right back. It took some time for her to open the book, smooth the pages to the first, and scan over the words. When she felt comfortable with them, with the memories of the times last read, she started to speak.

At first she stumbled a bit over the words, but as she went along, she relaxed. She knew this story, she knew the tales…she knew this. And she really did like to read aloud, though she had no one to read to. Reading to Bane was…it was nice. She remembered the nervousness of the story, the humor of it…and she surprisingly felt warmed when she heard the faint rumble of Bane’s laughter. He…he was entertained by it too, and that made her feel good. He was enjoying her book, just as she was.

She hadn’t realized how long she had been reading until she noted that the light was fading through the window.

“That will do, for now,” Bane rumbled, startling her a little. “The time grows late, and the evening meal is being prepared. I do hope you will be joining us this time.”

“Oh yeah…I think so…” She marked the place in her book, closing it carefully. “Are you…enjoying the book?”

“Oh yes, very much so.” He cleared his throat as he shifted, letting out a faint groan, like a tired, stiff old man. “You read it beautifully.”

She felt a blush rise to her cheeks, eyes widening. She finally noticed his hands, that he had been weaving some kind of piece of rope into a complex chain. He must have been working on it carefully when she was reading, constantly tying and weaving. She worried for a moment what it was, but then he leaned forward, offering out his hand. She stared at it dumbly.

“Give me your hand,” he said softly, waiting until she awkwardly laid her small hand in his palm. He held her hand carefully for a moment, then shifted, tying the braided rope around her wrist. “Rope can be your greatest tool. Keep this with you, and you will never be without a means to be strong.”

A bracelet. She looked at the dull grey braided rope around her wrist with wide eyes, confused. A gift…a gift from Bane. He made it for her. She touched it carefully, baffled. No one had ever made a gift by hand for her before. People had bought things…but never made anything. She found her throat to be tight with emotion, swallowing hard. “Thank you,” she rasped, her eyes burning for a moment. “I will never remove it.”

Bane let out a curious sound, sitting back a bit. It was enough to make her look up at him, noting the brightness in his eyes. “You accept my gift with more gratitude than I could have expected. Why?”

“I…no one has ever made me anything.” She shrugged awkwardly, her fingers still dragging over the loops. “You do not know me, and yet you already made me something, given me a gift.” Chewing her lip, she looked at him again, managing another shrug. “I have given you nothing to deserve this.”

“Not true. You have read to me, given me the gift of the emotions this book carries for you.” He reached out further, pressing his palm flat to the book in her lap. “Emotions are a man’s greatest gift to another. I could ask for nothing greater from you. I do so hope that you shall still read to me, the next moment I have a chance.” A smile crinkled the edges of his eyes, and he hummed. “Perhaps I shall weave you another bracelet, for your other, delicate wrist.”

She found herself smiling back, easily, without fear. This was…unexpected and definitely appreciated, compared to what she had been anticipating. He seemed…kind, in a way.

“Come now,” he finally said, pulling away and standing with a groan. “A hot meal awaits you. I am certain than my brother is back for you to dine with.”

“Thank you,” she said again, nodding a little. She rose as well, awkwardly seeming to curtsy a bit before turning and dashing off. She could hear the rumbling laugh behind her, and that only made her move faster.

She fairly stumbled out into the foyer, noticing the men streaming towards the kitchen again. She followed after a moment, unsure of herself. She was still wary…she still didn’t know how all these men would treat her while she was on her own.

“Little bird!”

She looked up, finding herself smiling when she spotted the man with the sleepy eyes. He was grinning so brightly, hurrying to her through the rest of the men. “Barsad.”

“Yes, little bird,” he chuckled, stopping in front of her. “How did you do without me? Was it as terrible as you feared?”

“No,” she said weakly, embarrassed. “It was…nice.”

“He has a fondness for books. Judging from all the books your house held, I figured you were the one to read them. You seemed the type…I figured you two could bond over it.” He chuckled faintly, reaching down to her wrist, touching her new bracelet. “Ah…you are initiated now.” When she let out a confused hum, he lifted his arm, showing her a similar bracelet. “He makes them for those under his care, those he protects. My brother, Bane…he craves protection of others.”

She had to smile at that, lifting her wrist so their bracelets were next to each other. “We match.”

“Indeed we do. Just know that Bane does not offer special protection to many. As you belong to him…you are special.”

She followed Barsad towards the kitchen when he turned, her smile having a hard time actually leaving her lips. “And how did you earn the honor of having a bracelet made for you?”

“It is a bit of a story, actually.” He led her to the cook, who was dishing out bowls of mashed potatoes, probably instant ones. She didn’t mind; it was being served with a sort of meat-filled gravy over it, with some vegetables, and frankly nothing had ever looked more delicious. “My brother and I go a long ways back.”

“So he isn’t actually your brother, then?”

“Not at all.” Barsad led them both off to a low couch, sitting heavily there with a canteen of water to share. “He found me in a city, in the middle east. He had already made himself to be quite the mercenary…and I saw his men as a bit of target practice. I antagonized him for months before he tracked me down. I expected him to kill me for how many of his men I had killed…but he kept me.” He smiled fondly, poking at his food for a moment. “He beat me until I was near death…and then he cradled me close, stroking my hair as I labored to breathe through the blood. He nursed me back to health. He had punished me for killing his men, and then he rewarded me for my skill.”

“Geezus. He beat you?”

“He was very efficient about it. I suppose he brought me near death, to see if I was strong enough to survive. If I had not handled it, then he would have had no use for me. When I proved strong enough…then he wove me a bracelet, and he has kept me at his side ever since. I am grateful for that.”

She looked at him in awe as he dug into his food. She would never understand the reasoning of a mercenary, but he seemed happy enough with it. It seemed strange that a man like Bane would cradle a man he had just brutalized, stroking his hair…but she also didn’t think such a man would weave bracelets for people.

Bane was…a strange creature. She would never truly be at ease around him, she was sure, but so far, she was just pleasantly surprised. And the food was delicious, warming her belly and it made her feel even more soothed than before.

“Oh!” Barsad set his bowl aside, then started to rummage through his pocket. “I found you something.”

“You did?” She looked at him with wide eyes. “What could you…”

“Here.” He pulled out a jumbo sized chocolate bar, grinning when he offered it.

Chocolate. He actually found her chocolate. How valuable would that be in that city? She had no idea, but the fact that he was… “For me? The…the whole thing?”

“Yeah.” He pressed it into her hand, still looking so proud of himself.

“Barsad…” Goodness. She barely knew this man, but… “Thank you so much…but you know I can’t accept this whole thing.”

“No?” His brow lifted, but his smile did not fade. “Why not?”

“I don’t…I don’t want the whole thing. I want to share it.” She looked down at it, rubbing her thumb over the wrapper. “Would that be okay? Can I share it?”

“Who would you share it with?”

“Everyone. There’s a lot of squares of it…it’ll go around well, won’t it? Will you help me share it?”

His smile changed, becoming softer, and yet…prouder. “Of course, little bird.” She started to wonder if she had passed some kind of test. “Come, let us distribute it.” He stood, looking around. “One square per man, yeah?”

“Sounds about right.” She followed Barsad awkwardly, unwrapping the chocolate bar as she went. When they came across a man, she’d break off a square and offer it quietly, blushing more and more when the soldiers gave surprised thanks, smiling and nodding happily. Every man seemed more than excited to receive the sweet treat, and it made her feel warm and good. However, when she started to get low on supplies, she paused, breaking off a square and offering it to Barsad. “You deserve it too,” she said shyly, feeling dizzy with her blush when he gave her a brilliant smile.

“Thank you, little bird,” he said gratefully, accepting it. “You have but one square left…will you be eating that, then?”

She looked at it, hesitating. “I…can…can Bane eat things like this?” When she looked up at Barsad, she didn’t quite expect the surprise. “No?”

“No no, little bird, he can. He can eat anything…I just did not think you would…” He cleared his throat, nodding faintly. “Come, I know where he eats. We can take it to him.”

“Is it a good or bad thing that I want to give this to him? You hesitated.” She trotted a bit to get up next to him when he headed for the stairs. “Am I not supposed to…”

“No little bird, that is fine. It is…unexpected.” He led her to one of the offices further down, where her father would let their guests use when they were hosting someone important. The door was shut of course, and Barsad hesitated before lightly rapping on the wood. “Brother, our little bird has a gift for you.”

There was shuffling, the door slowly unlocking and opening. Bane stepped into the light, holding a scarf over his face. It was surprising, especially when she noticed that he definitely wasn’t wearing his mask, without the massive strap over his brow. His warm eyes fell on her, watching for a long time before turning his attention to Barsad. “A gift?”

“Y-Yeah,” she cleared her throat, moving closer as she offered up the chocolate. “Barsad found this bar of chocolate and I wanted…I wanted to share it with everyone. And I thought you might like it too?”

Bane blinked slowly, just…looking at her. “I…” He cleared his throat, looking away. “I have never tasted chocolate before.”

“What?” She fumbled, looking down at what she cradled. “Oh geez, if I’d know that I would have brought you more…”

“What you have brought me is already a great gift,” Bane reassured her, nodding his head slightly. “I thank you for it.”

“Here.” She stuck it out, ducking her head. “You can just…here.” She didn’t think bringing him a piece of chocolate would mean so much, that she would be the one to give him something new he could try. “I’m going to go and you can just…enjoy that. I’m sorry.” She turned and bolted once he took it, scrambling downstairs, when it would be much safer to go to her room. She didn’t know why she didn’t just go to her room. She didn’t know. Was that why Barsad had acted that way? Had she offered something so strange? She had no idea.

She’d barely made it across the foyer when she was called out to. “Little bird! Could you come back here?”

She groaned, slowing until she could stand there awkwardly. “Why?”

“Bane has asked for you. Come on, little bird, there is nothing to fear.”

Easy for him to say. She groaned again as she turned and trudged up the stairs, shuffling up to the office door. It was closed again, but Barsad was still there, looking at her with bright eyes. “What do you want?”

“Bane wishes to thank you for the gift. He is fetching it now.” Barsad threw his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug that she fell awkwardly into. “You did well tonight.”

“Yeah?” She looked up hopefully. “I didn’t know it would mean so much…”

“You shared every last piece of something rare and hard to find with people who are to be your captors, in a way…it means very much indeed.” Barsad hummed, looking at the closed door. “My brother has not been given many gifts in his lifetime, I know this.”

“Oh. I…hm.” She didn’t know how to feel about her captor, this Bane. The news showed him to be ruthless, terrifying, brutal…so far, all she had seen in person was a gentle, even sweet giant. More of an old person than anything else. The way he groaned when he moved, content to sit back and be read to…definitely like an old man. He was…strange.

The door clicked and opened, with the beast lumbering out, his head ducked a bit lower. He nodded to her a little, but his eyes flickered over how Barsad held her, and she immediately felt herself tense, as if nervous by his reaction. He said nothing, just glancing aside. “The seasons are shifting.”

“Um…yes?” She glanced up at Barsad, then back at Bane. “What about it?”

“There will be no heating. I will allow you to remain in your own room, with your own items, but even if you have many blankets, you will freeze.” He shifted, fingers twitching, as if he was eager to do something and yet restraining himself. “You will require more for warmth.”

“Um. Okay.” This sounded so weird. Like he was so…vague. “What are you getting at?”

“I have been making more blankets for my men, and they are pairing up as to survive the cold nights together. I will make you a blanket as well, and I recommend you find someone to share your bed.”

“What?” She gasped, jerking back suddenly, out of Barsad’s grip. “Share a bed with one of your men?”

“Yes.” Bane glanced at his companion, seeming confused. “Is that so strange?”

“Yes! You don’t just…get into bed with a complete stranger. Even if it’s for warmth. I don’t know people here, don’t know…this is just my first day of coming out among you all. It’s all so strange.” She edged away a bit, feeling the railing against her back, swallowing hard. “How soon is the cold season coming?”

“There is time, yes, but not much.” Bane glanced aside, breathing out slowly, the metallic rattle seeming almost sinister. “Am I speaking strangely, brother?”

Barsad chuckled faintly, shaking his head. “No, but neither is she. She has never shared a bed with anyone before, and in her society, people only share beds out of intimacy and sexual intent.”

“Oh.” Bane looked surprised, shaking his head a little. “Back Home, I often found a weaker inmate to share a bed with me for warmth. It was merely survival.”

“Oh.” He was…in prison? She supposed that wasn’t very surprising. Most men didn’t get strong like he was just from easy living. He must have started out in a hard life, and built from there. Interesting. “I just…I don’t know if I trust anyone enough to let them into bed with me?”

“You seem to trust Barsad. Perhaps you could partner up with him.”

Now that was too much to handle. Bane was…surely Bane understood what it was that she was freaking out about. She hardly knew these men and he wanted her to…

She just gurgled in distress before turning and bolting again, fleeing into her room, closing and locking the door.

These men were insane. Just absolutely insane


	2. Bedfellows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter hits, and Sep finds she has no choice but to share a bed with a soldier or two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah yeah a lot of this shit is happening quickly. So sue me.

Weeks passed slowly, and she fit into a swing of things. She would sleep in her room at night, and every morning, she would come out, have breakfast with the men, and then go to the library to read to Bane for a few hours. Around lunchtime, Bane would leave for more appearances in the city, and she would play games with Barsad and a few others. Bane always liked a bit more reading before dinner, and then she would go to bed. It was simple, and it made her happy. In a way. It was simple and she was safe, well fed, and fairly warm. That was more than most could ask for, especially with the city falling apart.

She didn’t much see her parents around, not knowing how they fared as opposed to her. She supposed she didn’t care…they sold her out. They deserved whatever fate they got.

Unfortunately, Bane was correct about the seasons. It was getting colder, and she started to go to bed with more and more clothes on, if only to stave of the chill. It…wasn’t helping as much as she liked. She was sleeping less and less, unfortunately. She supposed it was becoming more obvious.

She held her cards tightly with both hands, staring intently. She still didn’t have the hang of poker, really…the men were going easy on her, she just knew it. She eventually plucked two cards free, setting them down on the table and accepting two more.

“Your hands, little bird,” Barsad clucked, setting down his own cards, reaching over to touch her wrist.

“What about them?” She shuffled through her cards, frowning.

“They are shaking something awful. Goodness, little bird.” He coaxed her cards out of her hands, setting them down as well before cradling her hands in his own. His hands were warm, and much bigger than hers, encasing them so well, so gently. “You’re freezing at night, aren’t you?”

“It’s not that bad,” she said weakly. She should have pulled her hands away, but it felt too good, too soothing for her aching joints.

“It’s not even at the peak chill, little bird. It will only get colder.” Lifting her hands, he puffed hot air over them, rubbing them briskly. “Bane is not yet finished with your blanket, but even if you have it…you will die in your sleep.”

“But I…” Her lip quivered a little, her shake still rattling her bones. “I don’t know if I could…”

“No one will encroach on your space, or your privacy. No one will come to your room…but if you see fit to leave your room and join another soldier, we would all welcome you.” Barsad smirked a little, shrugging. “I am willing to bet you are hardly noticed when in bed with someone else. Like a little bird, all fluffed and nestled down…” His expression softened as he looked at her, thumb rubbing soothing circles over one of her hands. “Little bird, you are welcome to come to my room and join me any night. Any night at all.” He turned, pointing at a door a few down from her own room. “That is my room. I already have a soldier that I share my bed with, but we have more than enough space, and you would fit well with us.”

“Okay…” She just wanted him to bring that hand back, to warm her up. He thankfully did, soothing her aching joints once more. “Don’t you want clear it up with him?”

“He’ll be just fine with it. Come on, let’s go get you some soup, warm you right up.” He pulled away again, but the moment she was standing, he draped his arm around her, warming her against his side as he led her to the kitchen. “Don’t you think you know us well enough by now?”

“I just…maybe? It’s still strange for me. I know you all have shown me nothing but respect and care, but it’s just…sharing a bed with someone is strange for me. I’ve never…”

“Oh I know.” He waved down their cook, getting her a bowl of soup and carting her off to a corner, tucking her in all the blankets and cushions there. “I imagine your parents kept you quite sheltered. No chance to go out and meet anyone you like. Well, there’s no harm. We just want to keep you warm.”

She grunted into her bowl of soup, gulping it down in great spoonfuls. “That sounds sexual, you know?”

“Yeah, I suppose it does. But I must reassure you that…” He faded off, sighing a little. “Our men are well disciplined, and they will not touch you inappropriately…but some things may arise.”

“You mean boners. You all might get a boner if I’m all cuddled up for warmth.”

“Yes.” He laughed faintly, shrugging as he settled down beside her. “Then again, I still manage to get an erection even when bundled up with another soldier. It’s warm and someone I’m snuggled with. It happens. We just go our separate ways.”

She cleared her throat, just trying not to think about him all aroused while in bed with another man. Sure, it was a pressing time, but it didn’t stop her from having her weird likes and dislikes. The idea of a man as handsome as Barsad, with another soldier…? Fun thought. And Barsad was inviting her to join them.

Heh.

“So Bane’s making my blanket? How?” She figured changing the conversation was a pretty safe bet, considering thinking too much about it would make it even more awkward.

“Knitting.”

“Knitting?” She made a face, but she supposed that was…okay. “Why am I so surprised that he knits? I really shouldn’t be surprised. Geezus. Such a strange man. Where did he learn to do that?”

“While he was in the Pit. He learned many things when he was there.” Barsad shrugged, clearing his throat. “I am his companion for sure, but I do not know everything about him. He has many secrets…and for good reason, I’m sure.”

She hummed, setting down her empty bowl. “Where did he get the yarn?”

“I have no idea. But I do know that his blankets are very warm. It will help…he’s taking his time with yours.” Barsad shuffled down lower in the cushions, closing his eyes slowly. “He wants yours to be perfect.”

“Oh. Well that’s…nice. I appreciate it, I really do.” She glanced over, admiring the softness of his expression as he dozed. He really was a handsome man, so gentle and kind with her. She liked when he called her little bird…it made her feel warm and cared for. No one had ever given her such an affectionate nickname before.

She laid there with him for a while, eventually figuring it was close enough to bedtime that it would be acceptable to slip away. She rose carefully, smiling when he let out a sleepy grumble. He reached out for her faintly, but she just patted him and moved away, heading on up for her own room. She was going to try her hardest to handle the night on her own, for now.

It was a little strange to her, oddly enough. She was in a mansion full of men, soldiers, who hadn’t been around a woman for a while…and none of them tried to touch her. She knew Barsad had reassured her that it was because she belonged to Bane, but even Bane hadn’t…he just wanted her to read to him. And she loved doing that. She liked hearing his chuckle, his faint hum as she read. It was…nice. He always wove some sort of rope, something similar, just…quiet. Peaceful. She looked forward to those times, usually.

Snuggling down in her bed, she sighed softly. She watched the news and saw the destruction of the city. People turning against one another for food, fighting and killing and…before Bane and his men came, everything had been okay. Everything had been peaceful and just…why had it all changed? If the people just kept their heads down, it would all end up okay.

Except for maybe her.

She shuddered and curled up tighter, feeling the chill sinking through her blankets. She knew it wasn’t even deep night, and it was still getting colder and colder. There was no way she was going to sleep that night if she tried to…

Dammit.

Breathing out slowly, she slid out of bed, shuddering as her socked feet touched the ice cold floor, Mansions really did get cold as hell without electricity…she hated decadence. It sucked. She grumbled about it as she shuffled down the hallway, towards Barsad’s room. She hated that she had to go crawling to someone to help her, but if she wanted to live, she would have to.

Opening the door as quietly as she could, she edged her way in, peering around in the darkness. She remembered this guest room, remembered that the bed was on the far wall…she shuffled forward, only to find herself cursing as she stubbed her foot on something hard and metal. Dammit, what the hell…

“Little bird?” There was a sleepy mumble, and from the faint light seeping through the curtains, she could see Barsad sit up from the bed, right where she remembered it was. “Ah…you came to join me.”

“Yeah…” She started to carefully shuffle forward, avoiding the other stuff spread out on the floor. “Sorry I…”

“It’s alright, little bird,” he whispered, yawning after a moment. “Mm. Lookit you, all bundled up. You won’t need to wear that much in here…you’ll roast.”

She did start to realize that his chest was bare, his hair all mussed from sleep. Geez. “Um…you got a heated blanket?”

“No, we’re just all snuggled up all tidy.” He shook his head a little, waving his hand a little. “C’mon, strip down a bit and crawl in. There’s plenty of space for you in between the two of us.”

Feeling tension rise up in her chest, she shucked off her jackets and her sweaters, toeing off her socks and her sweats until she was just in a single set of bottoms and a tshirt. The chill in the air clawed at her skin, making her whine as she shuffled up to the side of the bed, hesitating for a moment. “How…”

“Come here, little bird.” Reaching out, Barsad clasped her hand and drew her in, helping her crawl into bed with him, lifting the blankets and tucking her under. The faint rush of cool air apparently disturbed their sleeping partner, who grumbled. “Hush,” Barsad cooed, then snuggled down, drawing Sep with him.

He was right. It was warm…toasty warm. She hummed happily, feeling warmer than she had in ages, eyes closing immediately. She was so comfortable that she didn’t stir when Barsad draped an arm over her, tucking his face against the top of her head. However, she did jolt a little with the other bedpartner shifted closer, draping his arm over both her and Barsad.

She was definitely boxed in from both sides.

But god was it warm. So warm. She had never felt so warm before in her life, and frankly, she wasn’t going to let that bother her. She just settled down and drifted off into sleep, content and happy to be snuggled up in bed with someone.

+++++++++++++++++

Barsad was right about the morning thing with the snuggling.

Eyes closed, Sep drifted in and out of a dream, more awake than asleep, but too content to move. She was warm, and she didn’t realize just how much she loved cuddling with someone until she was actually experiencing it. Feeling another person’s breathing, the gentle hum of their sleep…it was soothing. Knowing that there was someone else there, cradling you…

It would be perfect if not for the erection digging into her hip.

That was what made her finally crack her eyes open, frowning a little. She sighed, shifting. “Barsad? Wake up, Barsad.”

“Mm. I am awake,” he mumbled, his arm tightening around her. “How are you, little bird? Did you sleep well?”

“Very well, yes.” She inhaled sharply when he shifted a little, that erection grinding against her just a little more. “Barsad. You’re being rude.”

“Mm? Oh. Yes. My mistake.” He rolled onto his back, yawning largely. “Were you warm enough to consider joining us every night after this, little bird?”

“It’s a possibility I must-” Her words cut off into a sharp gasp as the other bed partner tightened his grip around her, hauling her back against a thick chest and pressing a considerably thick erection against her rear. “Oh my god Barsad help me.”

Barsad’s head rolled so he could look at her, smiling faintly in amusement. “Very cute. He looks very comfortable with you there.”

She squeaked when they nuzzled against her hair, hips rolling up a little and grinding that…oh geez. “Help help help I mean it oh my god Barsad please!”

“Alright alright, I’m here.” He sat up, reaching over and touching the man’s arm. “Rise, brother, it is morning. And you’re not holding me right now…you’re holding our little bird.”

There was a grumble, and she was slowly released as the man rolled away, shifting onto his back as well. She scrambled to sit up, twisting to peer down at-

Bane.

“Holy shit,” she cursed, scooting over until she was nearly on top of Barsad. “You sleep with him?”

“Of course. He is my brother.” Barsad sat up, reaching up to grip her shoulder. “He was peaceful, was he not?”

Well…he was. She admired the way Bane looked with his face all slack with exhaustion, his mask somehow not diminishing his peace. His chest was bare, smooth and warm and… She bit her lip, admiring him a bit. Bane was a curious creature, all hulking strength and yet…there were times he looked so gentle and soft. When her eyes flickered back up to his face, she jumped when she saw that his eyes were open, just watching her. They were such a soft, cloudy blue-grey, soulful and wise beyond compare. Beautiful.

“Good morning, habibi.” Bane rumbled, blinking slowly. “Did I bring you any distress?”

“Ah…a little. But it was mostly because I didn’t know who you were and…it’s okay.” Habibi? It caused her great distress with the way he was eyeing her, his expression soft as he rested an arm above his head, his torso all exposed for her wandering eyes. “I’ve just…never slept beside someone before. And you’re a bit of a leap from nothing to…well, you.”

Bane hummed, eyes crinkling at the edges. “But you are content?”

“Yeah. I am.” She looked over her shoulder at Barsad, who was giving her such a warm smile that it made a blush rise to her cheeks. His arm was around her, his chest warm against her side…it was all really comfortable and nice. “I could get used to it.”

“Mm. What time is it, brother?” Bane scrubbed a fist over his eye, looking entirely unwilling to get up.

“Early. And I don’t believe you’re needed anywhere.”

“Good. What do you wish to do, habibi? The day is free for now, and as you are in our room, you are a part of the decision making.”

“Oh.” She glanced at Barsad, then back to Bane, shrugging slightly. “I dunno, I kind of want to go back to bed. I haven’t been this warm in…well, ever.”

“I am content with that decision.” Bane sounded so pleased with her decision that both she and Barsad had to laugh. “The cold makes my joints ache. I am more than happy to remain warm and comfortable,” he defended, rolling onto his side again.

“Old man,” she said fondly, sliding back down into bed, facing Bane this time.

“Habibi,” he said back, reaching up and resting a hand on her cheek.

It startled her. Her eyes widened a bit at the gentle touch, at his warmth, at the soft tone of his voice…she let out a soft huff when he drew her to his chest again, wrapping his arms around her tight, cradling her gently. He was just…being really sweet. Delicate with her. And so amazingly warm.

“Come, brother,” Bane rumbled. “She said she liked being warm.”

“Oh, right.” Barsad slid in behind her, nuzzling into her hair with a happy sigh. “You smell good, little bird,” he murmured, resting a hand on her hip, thumb smoothing over the curve of bone, soothing.

“I haven’t had a proper bath in a long time, Barsad, so I’m going to say you’re full of shit.” It was a little strange to be the center of all this attention, to be so carefully encased between two men, to be…she didn’t know, adored? It was what it felt like, with Barsad nuzzling her and Bane cradling her and…

And she could still feel their erections.

The realization of it made her blush hard enough to feel light headed, her hands pressing against Bane’s chest to tighten a little. She knew she was under absolutely no obligation and she certainly didn’t…well that was a bit of a lie. She didn’t want to help out but she also wanted to…but that was mostly her general desire to be with a man. In this case, two men. Two very strong, very handsome men. And they were holding her and pressing against her and…

“You are shaking, habibi.” His hand smoothed over her back slowly, surely intending to be soothing.

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to explain herself. It wound surely sound strange the moment she tried to vocalize it, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to explain it. Bane already didn’t understand why she had been so hesitant to sleep beside a man as it was. Even with Barsad there to translate, it was too embarrassing. And if they didn’t have a problem with having erections, then she wouldn’t make a big deal about it. She could just pretend she didn’t feel them.

“I imagine she’s a little overwhelmed,” Barsad whispered, reaching past her to stroke Bane’s arm. “She’s never shared a bed with a man before, remember?”

“And now she is in bed with two men,” Bane agreed, nuzzling with his mask a bit. “Do we frighten you, habibi?”

“N-no,” she managed to stutter, eyes fluttering a bit as Bane’s nuzzling made her tilt her head back, the cold metal brushing against her lips. “Oh god…”

“Habibi,” Bane rumbled, his voice lower as he shifted, rolling them so he was over her, his weight pressing her down and his erection pressing against her and she had never had a man laying on top of her like he was, his arms around her and his mask nuzzling and…

She squeaked, her heart hammering in her chest, fairly breathless with nervousness. He was so huge and strong and he was on her and holding her so gently and speaking so reverently, calling her something she didn’t understand… “Bane?”

“Brother.” Barsad slid closer, draping an arm over Bane, rubbing his back slightly. “Remember where we are.” When Bane only rumbled softly, his hand slipped up, gripping the back of his neck. “This is not the Pit, brother.”

“I know. Is there…” Bane leaned back a bit, looking her over. “Is this…is this not what you wanted, habibi? The way you shake…I thought…” Before she even said anything, he shifted away, kneeling further down, closer to the foot of the bed. “I pressed too far.”

“Huh?” She scrambled to sit up, more confused than she had been before. “What just happened? What is…”

Barsad sat up as well, reaching over to grip Bane’s shoulder. “My brother here is a creature of many passions, of instinct. He understood the primal shake of your body as an invitation.” He turned, his touch gentling as he stroked over Bane’s head, like he was petting a dog. “In the pit, physical pleasures were a form of survival. My brother worked on terms of instinct…instincts were what drove him to survive. Instinct is what made him begin to mount you the way he was.”

“Mount?” She stared with wide eyes at Bane. He seemed to be meditating, eyes closed as he breathed. “Oh.” She cleared her throat, glancing aside. Had she been afraid of him being on top of her? He hadn’t been pawing or…would it be so bad? She was sure Barsad would stop Bane if things got too bad. She could trust them.

She shifted a little, tucking some pillows behind her as she settled back. Once she was perfectly comfortable, she cleared her throat.

“Bane. Barsad.” She waited until Barsad was looking at her, then nodded to Bane, making sure Barsad made Bane look. When both sets of eyes were focused on her, she smiled a little. “Come back to bed.”

She was playing with fire, she knew. She was just…she didn’t know. She didn’t want Bane to be upset.

“Habibi,” Bane rumbled, shifting forward to stretch out along her side, tucking his mask against her collarbone, wrapping an arm around her middle.

When Barsad did the same on her other side, she just draped her arms around their shoulders, holding them close. Thankfully, from this position, she couldn’t feel if they were hard, which was for the best. That way she could pretend that it wasn’t there, that they could just lie there together, in their warmth, the comfort of the bed.

She supposed that she dozed for a bit, because the next thing she knew, she was waking slowly, alone in the massive bed, tucked in like a child. She was unwilling to move for a while, but she heard movement, coaxing her into sitting up and peering around. It took her a while to notice that Barsad was sitting quietly on the floor of the room, cleaning his rifle.

He noticed her movement, slowly looking up. “Ah, little bird. How are you feeling now?”

“Good.” She hugged her knees, glancing aside. “Did I…did I do something wrong earlier?”

“What makes you ask that, little bird?” He set his rifle aside, resting his hands in his lap.

“With all that happened, with Bane and…the primal stuff. Did I do something wrong?”

“Oh, no no little bird, you did wonderfully.” Barsad slowly rose from his seat, striding over to sit on the edge of the bed, gripping her knee gently. “Bane only survived by doing what his instincts told him to do. He is still ruled by his instincts…no matter what he does, it is what keeps him going. He is a wise man, and knows when to listen to those instincts and when not to…” Barsad reached up, gently cupping her jaw. “And he has never had to deal with a young woman like you before.”

“Oh. No women in the Pit?” When his hand twitched back a little, her eyes widened. “There was something…someone.”

“It is not my place to tell. Bane’s history is his own…much of his suffering lies there.” Barsad looked away, then sighed. “No, having you in bed with us here was good for us all. I do hope you will join us again tonight.”

“I would like that, I think.” She swallowed hard, looking down at the blankets. “Barsad, I just…I want to tell you that…Bane being on me like that…I liked it.” She looked up, feeling the color in her cheeks. “I like you both, I like how you treat me and…you’re both kind to me. And you’re both handsome…I’ve never had men as handsome as you both treat me the way that you do and I’m not going to assume it means anything, because it probably doesn’t, but…whatever it is that you two plan to do with me…so far, I’m okay with it.” She fumbled, picking at the blankets, just to focus on something else.

“Little bird.” Barsad’s voice was nothing more than a purr, making her startle and look up at him. His eyes were hooded, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “You think I’m handsome?”

“Of course. I’m surprised that you saw fit to…I dunno, pay me any kind of attention. Surely you have your pick of the city?”

“Why would I want the city when I have such a sweet little bird right here?” He leaned closer, head tilting to the side slightly. “So pretty, my bird…such a rare find, too.”

She had no idea how to flirt. She didn’t know how to respond to the man so close to her, his presence so warm and comforting in such strange ways. She hardly knew this man and…

“I have duties to attend to, little bird,” he sighed, pulling away. “But you are welcome to stay in bed all day, if you like.”

“Oh.” She sat back, watching as he collected his gear, getting dressed. “Barsad?”

“Mm?”

“What does Bane keep calling me?”

“Habibi?” Barsad chuckled as he headed for the door, pausing before exiting. “It means ‘my beloved’.”

Her heart fairly stopped as Barsad left, leaving her alone with a whole mess of strange emotions in her.

My beloved.


	3. Display

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fancy, rich men have never done it for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I'm a little embarrassed at how quickly they got to fooling around but okay I have no excuse.

“It’s an encyclopedia. I have absolutely no problem with burning the shit out of that.”

“As you wish, little bird.”

She grinned as the thick books were pulled off the shelf, glancing over at Barsad. “As I wish? Even though I belong to Bane?”

“Of course. Anything you wish, I will do my best to provide.” Cradling several books to his chest, Barsad turned and bowed to her grandly, eyes alight with mischief. “I am your servant, your knight, little bird. Name any whim, and I shall do everything in my power to complete it for you.”

Oh he was adorable. She blushed, but managed to sweep back her arm in her own bow to him. “Such a loyal servant, I have. And to think I never show my appreciation. What a poor lady I am.”

“Nonsense! There are none so royal as my lady,” Barsad’s voice dropped into a purr, turning to set the books on a table before straightening, that wicked smirk still clinging to his lips. “None so regal, so beautiful and graceful…you are a true light in this city, little bird.”

She never knew how to respond when she thought someone was flirting with her. Then again, she never wanted to be super certain about someone flirting, on the risk that they were just being friendly…but she was fairly certain Barsad was flirting. She just bit her lip, hugging her book tighter to her chest.

“I love the way you do that, little bird,” he breathed, moving closer to her. “The way your teeth press into your lip…it only accentuates how soft they are and just how much I wish I could bite them as well.”

Definitely flirting. She felt the edge of the table dig into her lower back as Barsad moved in front of her, leaning so close, his heat brushing her skin like a fever. It wasn’t that she wanted to get away, but she liked being boxed in by a man, she found. Still, she wasn’t going to be totally ignorant. She tilted her chin up, smiling a little, pleased when his smile gentled, warmed a bit.

“I love that you sleep beside us every night now. I was warm before, but having you there…You soothe Bane very well. He never held me as tightly as he holds you.”

“Barsad?”

“Mm?”

She bit her lip again as she reached up, gently curling her fingers around a strap on his vest, tugging him just a bit closer. “I don’t really want to talk right now.” Her voice was weak, not at all as confident as she would have liked.

It did the trick, though.

“Oh?” His hands slid over the table on either side of her as he pressed against her, his head ducking down to come dangerous close to hers. “What was it that you wanted to do, then?”

Lots of things, really, but him being so close was rendering her quite mute. Thankfully, she could still function enough to reach up and trail her fingertips over his cheek, then down, over his lips. He really had such soft lips, so expressive and quick. She could understand why someone as measured and mute as Bane would have a man like Barsad at his side near constantly.

“Little bird,” he murmured near reverently, turning his head to nuzzle into her hand, kissing her palm fervently. When it made her gasp, she could feel his smile against her skin, his eagerness thrilling her. His smile only grew when she dropped the books she had been holding, the dull thuds echoing in the large library. He had to be teasing, taking his time when he knew very well what it was that she wanted. Such a tease.

“Barsad, please,” she finally managed to whisper, reaching up to cup his face with both hands. “Don’t…don’t tease…”

“Do I upset you, little bird?”

“Barsad-”

He surged in, finally, pressing his lips to hers hard. Though her breath shuddered out of her all at once, it was perfect, and just what she had been aching for for ages. His kiss gentled immediately, his hand lifting to stroke her hair back, almost worshipping with the way he touched her.

It was perfect. She let out a soft, pleased sound, melting into his embrace as they kissed, alone in the library, even if they were supposed to be getting books for the fire they were building downstairs.

“Young lady!”

Sep huffed sharply through her nose, wanting to turn to look, but Barsad’s grip tightened, for just a moment, keeping her still so his tongue could brush over her lip. The thrill that coursed through her made her arch in his embrace, making another sound that was entirely inappropriate, much louder than the last.

Only when Barsad pulled back was she allowed to turn and look at…

“Mom.” She felt a blush rise to her cheeks at being caught like this, but she was also…curious. “Where have you been?”

“Living in the basement with your father. I had wondered where you were, but now I see just fine. For god’s sake, young lady, just what do you think you’re doing?” Her mother was still, impossibly, dressed up in one of her fine evening gowns, though her hair looked greasy and not as proper as it usually was. “I insist that you come down to the basement immediately.”

“What?” Her brow furrowed as she glanced over at Barsad, but he was just looking at her curiously. “I can’t.”

“What? Why not?”

“You sold me. To Bane. I go where he wants me to go.”

“So he told you to service his men? Like some whore? How long have you been doing this?”

Sep let out a louder, confused sound. “You are making absolutely no sense whatsoever, mom. You SOLD me to Bane. You left my life up to him, even if he wanted to go ahead and straight up kill me. You aren’t allowed to have any kind of opinion over what happens to me now.”

“Little bird,” Barsad whispered approvingly, ducking down to nuzzle against her throat. It was enough to make her eyes flutter a bit, savoring the sensation of someone being so close.

“We can persuade another deal. You can join us in the basement. We won’t let you stay up among the-”

“The what? Peasants? Mom, they treat me better than you ever did. They…geezus. I don’t need to explain myself to you. Why are you out of the basement anyways?” She turned away from her mother, anger coloring her cheeks. Her parents always assumed they knew best…she was tired of it. Being with these soldiers was making her feel better than she ever thought they could. They were kind and gentle and happy, even loving, like Barsad…even like Bane was.

“Brother would be so proud of you,” Barsad whispered to her before pressing in, kissing her again, just as involved as before. Only this time…it was better. Because she knew that her mother could see it, could know that she was kissing someone besides the prissy, proper men that her mother had wanted her to marry. Barsad was strong and rugged, charming in a real way, and yet he cradled her like she was made of glass. In her mind, that was absolutely perfect.

“You little hussy-”

Sep found it a little surprising when her mother’s scathing words were cut off so sharply. Her mother, when she got started, usually prattled off for hours about how awful someone us. To be cut off just as she started…it was strange.

It made her break off the kiss and turn to see Bane, looming in the doorway. The shadow he cast had startled her mother into silence, but the initial fear apparently wore off from her stubborn mother, because she twisted and glared up at the hulking beast.

“You! What is it that you have commanded my daughter to do? When I agreed to this deal-”

“Are you interrupting these two with your uneducated prattle?” Bane’s voice was lower than Sep was used to hearing, and while it concerned her a little, it also made her endlessly more curious.

Her mother made some strange stammering sounds as she fought to find a good response, puffing up like she could somehow become bigger than Bane. “What have to done to my child? She used to be-”

“I have done nothing compared to what you subjected your daughter to. If I had malicious intent in my heart, I would have tortured your child in front of you, made you watch what your selfishness had inflicted. I would peel her flesh from bone slowly, letting her scream and quake in agony while you watched…but now I see a more suitable punishment for the decadence that has rotted your basic human decency.” Bane stood up straighter, looking down at her mother like she was the filthiest creature he had ever seen. “You suffer more seeing that you sold your daughter into a better existence than what you could have provided.”

“You have no idea what you-”

Bane’s hand snapped up, curling easily around her mother’s throat, squeezing until she was silent. “Return to your basement. When I see fit to demonstrate to you the folly of your actions…I will send for you. Do not leave your hovel again.” Turning, Bane shoved her mother from the library, then stepped in, closing the door solidly.

“Sounds like a fine treat for you, little bird,” Barsad said brightly, nuzzling at her throat again.

“Wh-what?” She felt flustered now that Bane was there, could see how Barsad was holding her and…would he be okay with this?

“Did she distress you, habibi?” Bane rumbled as he turned, striding towards the two of them. “It took much of my strength to not crush her throat.”

“Oh. Graphic.” She looked up at Bane as he stopped beside her, only to let out an embarrassing squeak when Barsad clamped his teeth over her throat. “Barsad!”

She expected to see anger, or possessiveness, but instead she saw heat in Bane’s eyes, a hunger as he watched. His breath even changed, shuddering through his mask as he reached up and cupped the back of Barsad’s head.

“I had wondered when you were going to try for her, brother,” Bane murmured, stroking his companion’s hair gently. “How does she feel?”

“She’s soft, brother. Very soft.”

They were talking about her like she wasn’t even there. For some reason, it didn’t bother her as much as she thought it would. She kept glancing up at Bane, flustered at how interested he looked in the whole thing.

“Kiss her again, brother.”

Oh. It was because Bane couldn’t, not with his mask. He was experiencing it through Barsad, gaining his own pleasure from witnessing. It made her feel more than a little sad for Bane, and it was what coaxed her into tilting her head up and kissing back ardently when she could. If Bane wanted a good show, then she would give him a good show.

Apparently it was enough to be noticeable, because Barsad moaned softly in response, his grip tightening on her, hands splaying wide on her back to keep her close. She had never really made out with someone before, but apparently she was doing it well, because with every flick of her tongue against his lip, he tensed even more, his breath coming harsher. She could feel his erection start to dig into her, and as usual…the knowledge that she had aroused a man thrilled her to the core.

Barsad pulled away after a while, huffing loudly. Sep was concerned for his sudden twitch, and it seemed Bane was as well. The beast’s hand tightened in Barsad’s hair, pulling sharply to yank his companion’s head back, so he and Sep could see him. Sep wanted to be concerned, but when she saw Barsad’s face, it was worth it.

He looked wrecked. His eyes were more lidded than she had ever seen before, hazy and glazed with lust. Even his lips were wet and rosy, plump with all the kisses and arousal. He looked beautiful, all flushed, even shivering just the smallest bit.

“You look intoxicated, brother.” Bane’s hand gentled, stroking back Barsad’s hair. “Are her kisses that sweet?”

“It’s…it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to kiss someone, brother. I had forgotten…” Barsad shivered, turning his head to nuzzle at Bane’s wrist, dragging his lips against his skin. “You don’t take bring me anyone to display for you anymore. I have not…”

“Hush, brother. Would you like to kiss her more?”

“Oh yes, brother. I…I want that very much.”

Wait. Bring someone…display? The nuzzling and…they shared a bed. Oh they were…

“Are you two…lovers?” She managed to ask, not sure of a better way to word it. It had to be a dumb question at this point. No man was ever so intimate that they would willingly…there had to be something going on. Not that it bothered her. In fact, it made her endlessly more curious, wanting to see just how much they shared.

“Barsad is my brother. I would look for no other to fight beside me, nor sleep beside me. I trust him with my life, and with my body. He knows how to tame me.” Bane spoke almost reverently, stroking Barsad’s hair over and over as he nuzzled at her throat. “He understands how the Pit has made me into what I am. And he submits to me when my desires are strongest.”

“Oh my god have you two…”

“We have had sex, yes.” Bane blinked slowly, staring at her intently. “Is this strange among your people?”

“Yes. Men don’t often state that they willingly have sex with another man. So are you…are you attracted to…” She fumbled, then shook her head. “You know what? Nevermind. It’s none of my business. But I just…has me sleeping beside you ruined what you two used to share?”

“We no longer find physical pleasure with one another at night, no. But not all pleasures need to remain at night…Barsad and I have found each other during the day, as to not disturb you.”

It made sense that Bane would have no issue bedding his companion…he seemed to have no reservations about anything. He did whatever he pleased, whatever made him feel good.

“Please, habibi, my brother aches. Would you indulge him and kiss him just a bit more? I would not ask you to do any more than that.”

“I…” She swallowed hard, glancing at how Barsad was staring at her. “I wouldn’t mind…”

“What wouldn’t you mind, habibi,” Bane rumbled, his eyes softening.

“I wouldn’t mind…I don’t know…sucking him off?”

Barsad actually groaned at that, surging in to nose at her cheek, but she was too distracted by the way Bane’s pupils blew wide enough that the blue-grey was hard to see. “Not here,” Bane growled, ever the voice of reason. “Our room. It will be…more comfortable for the both of you.”

“What about the books for the fire?”

“The fire can wait.” Bane was the strong one, bundling both her and Barsad up in his grip as he led them from the library, and down the hall to their bedroom.

However, the moment their room was closed, Bane looked down at her, making no move for the bed. “Habibi, there is a strong difference between not minding something and wanting to do something. That difference is important to both me and Barsad. You must tell me honestly…do you want to?”

She glanced over at Barsad, and despite the flush that still clung to his cheeks, he was giving her a serious look as well. They wanted to make sure she was consenting, no matter what. Barsad was no doubt achingly hard, near out of his mind with how turned on he was, but still waiting for her to reassure them.

“I want to,” she said easily. “I want to suck Barsad off.”

Barsad’s groan was nothing compared to Bane’s, She was certain she wasn’t very attractive with how she yelped, since Bane actively wrapped his arms around their middles and carried them to the bed. He set them down on the edge of the bed, then just lingered, just waiting. Just watching.

She didn’t know how much to respond to that…she didn’t have much experience in intimacy of any kind. Still, when she looked over at Barsad and saw the hot, needy look he was giving her…she was sure she could figure it out.

Sep leaned over and kissed Barsad on her own will this time, lingering just a few moments before pulling back, standing again. Her hands were shaking a little as she pushed on his shoulders, coaxing him into laying back on their bed. He was just watching her with hooded eyes, his breath an excited shudder past his lips, his hands curling in the blankets.

It was easy to kneel between his knees, which he spread eagerly for her. He was eager for it, of course, as all men seem eager when someone offers to put their mouth on you. She figured it must feel amazing, to have someone work sensitive flesh with lips and tongue, tasting and stroking while gaining no physical pleasure of their own. She thought on that as she reached for his pants, undoing them, dipping her hand inside.

She’d never realized how hot men were, when they were hard. She’d had a cock inside her, once, but it had been sheathed with a condom, smeared with cool lube. All she had felt was the rough thrust of it inside her as she had pressed her vibrator to her clit…he’d really been nothing more than a dildo for her. But now, as she pulled Barsad’s erection free, she was struck with just how little she actually knew. She’d never actually looked at one straight…she had tried to avoid looking at it before.

“Does he make you nervous, habibi?” Bane breathed as he sat beside her, reaching out to thread his fingers in her hair. “He is still Barsad…do you still wish to please him?”

“Yes! Sorry I…I’ve never done this before. That’s all.” His hand in her hair was certainly helping her nervousness, but still. “How…”

“Just avoid putting your teeth on him, and everything else is okay. Just do whatever feels right. I promise he will enjoy whatever comes.”

Had Bane ever sucked a cock before? Or was he speaking from what he liked? She flushed at the thought, ducking down lower, tucking her hair behind her ear. It’s just Barsad, just a part of him, and over the weeks, months now, she had grown to trust him completely. Just Barsad, quick to smile, quick to wrap an arm around her, quick to reassure her with a chuckle and a reverently whispered ‘little bird’. She cared about him greatly, loved seeing him in the mornings, sharing breakfast with him, tucking herself against his chest at night before Bane swept them back against him.

Barsad’s cock was a good thickness, and much longer than the one she had used before, to take her virginity. She had to curl her hand around it to judge its thickness, then push back the foreskin. The rosy head of his cock was uncovered, weeping clear fluid, and it was there that she placed her lips, kissing gently. The answer hiss she got from Barsad was encouraging, coaxing her into fitting him into her mouth.

He’s salty, musky, and extremely hot on her tongue. She thought she might find the taste disgusting, but it’s just…it’s Barsad. It’s Barsad on her tongue, his pulse thrumming through his cock and onto her tongue, throbbing with desire and need. She tasted his musk and found that she liked it, even let out a soft moan of appreciation.

“Little bird,” Barsad groaned, and when she glanced up, saw him watching, his eyes hazy as he pawed at the blankets. “You feel so good, little bird.”

She thrilled at the praise, humming happily around his cock before lowering her eyes, resuming her attentions to him. She tried sucking, rubbing her tongue against him, bobbing down as far as she could do. She even pulled off entirely to press kisses over the sides, drag her tongue over it, to just rub her lips over it. It felt good, pleasing Barsad. He was quaking and moaning, the muscles of his thighs shivering with restrained movement.

“You want to thrust,” she whispered, smiling when her breath made Barsad whine. “You want to fuck my throat.”

“I can’t remember the last time someone has used their mouth on me,” Barsad whispered, head lolling to the side. His forehead shone with sweat, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. “I want to savor it.”

“He is holding back,” Bane rumbled, startling her into remember that he was right there. “He almost finished several times, habibi. You are skilled.”

When she turned her head to look at Bane, she thought she had never seen a man more aroused. His pupils were blown wide, his throat flushed, his breath ragged through his mask. His hand just kept stroking through her hair, his touch gentle…he must have had an agonizing erection, but he just watched. It took her a moment to realize that his eyes were locked on her lips. They must have been a mess, slick and red. When she licked her lips, his eyes followed the movement.

“He doesn’t need to hold back,” she finally said. “I’ll gladly do it again.”

“Habibi,” Bane whispered, reverently, adoringly. “It is your family that lost when they gifted you to me.”

She let her eyes stay on Bane’s as she leaned down again, trailing her lips down the side of Barsad’s cock. Bane watched like a starving man, his gaze intense, hungry as she moved. It was what made her swipe her hair out of the way as she resumed sucking Barsad off. She wanted Bane to watch as she bobbed, as her cheeks caved in as she sucked, as she trailed her fingertips over what she couldn’t reach with her mouth.

“I’m…I’m going to…” Barsad’s voice was broken, weak…it’s an interesting change from the normally confident voice she usually heard. “Oh gods I…”

It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful enough that she had to look up at him, to see just how wrecked he was. He’s an utter mess, writhing and gasping, quivering…she’s so amazed that she’d been able to do that to anyone.

“Brother,” Bane whispered suddenly, leaning over. He reached out, smoothing his fingertips over Barsad’s lower lip.

The reaction was instantaneous. Barsad gasped, tongue flicking out against Bane’s fingers before he started to kiss them, soft, fluttering little kisses, worshipping attention.

It’s definitely one of the hottest things Sep had ever seen in her entire life.

Bane slid his hand behind Barsad’s head, making him tip up a little, making him easier to see. Sep’s and Barsad’s eyes met, and she did her best to suck as hard as she could as she bobbed down, and that apparently was enough.

Barsad’s voice was harsh, his body tensing as he fairly shouted, back arching as he came hard. The spurts of seed over her tongue was surprising, made her need to gag, but she swallowed through it, over and over, desperate to keep herself from gagging on the salt. It was just Barsad, all of Barsad, and part of his pleasure. His pleasure was beautiful, desperate and hard and it was because of her…she did this.

“Beautiful,” Bane groaned, sliding up to press his forehead against Barsad’s, just holding him. “I have not seen you come undone so perfectly before, brother.”

“Her mouth is like silk,” he gasped out, still shaking. “So hot and good and…she is exquisite.”

Bane rumbled, a purr more than anything, as he turned his head to look down at her. “And how are you?”

“I liked it,” she whispered, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. “It was…I liked giving this to you, Barsad. For all you’ve given me.”

“Come here, little bird.” Barsad reached for her, and she moved into his arms immediately. It felt natural to kiss him, and she remembered only after a moment that she probably tasted like cock, but he didn’t seem to care. He kissed her hungrily, lacing his hands in her hair to hold her close. “You are breathtaking,” he whispered against her lips, “little bird.”

She’d never felt more loved in her entire life. The way Barsad held her, the way he shivered and whispered to her…it was amazing. She felt full and warm and happier than she’d ever felt.

“Habibi,” Bane whispered, startling her into looking at him. “I…are you not aroused as well?”

Oh. Right. “Yes,” she said shyly, ducking her head. “What about it?”

He watched her carefully, reaching over to brush his knuckles against her cheek. “Would it please you to have my brother use his mouth on you?”

That was a thing. She’d forgotten that men could… goodness. She felt breathless, her eyes widening as she thought about it. What would it be like, to have a man’s head buried between her thighs, his lips and tongue on her, just to bring her pleasure? Some men recoiled at the thought, but would Barsad-

“Oh please let me, little bird. Let me taste you. I would make you come until cannot bear another.” Barsad sounded excited, like it was the greatest idea he had ever heard.

Well. She sat up, pawing at her hair a bit as she thought about it. “I can hardly say no to that offer.”

It seems a blur as Barsad and Bane work to get her laying back where Barsad was, her shoulders propped up with pillows. She was nervous about it, about exposing herself in front of two men, but it’s Barsad. It’s Bane. The way they looked at her, she felt no fear. Barsad had always called her by a loving nickname, and though Bane only started recently, being called habibi was…warming. They were both so gentle, careful around her…they would never hurt her.

“She is so soft, brother,” Barsad whispered as he knelt between her legs. “We must feed her more, to keep this softness on her bones.”

Bane just hummed, watching as Barsad smoothed his hands up her thighs, undoing her pants. His eyes trailed over her, watching how she shuddered as her pants were pulled down, cast away. It was like he was reading her, waiting for any kind of sign that she doesn’t want it, making sure he’ll be able to command Barsad away in time.

She’s so intent on watching Bane that she hardly noticed when Barsad slipped her panties from her.

“Oh brother,” Barsad breathed. “She’s so beautiful.”

All three of them turned their attention down at her crotch. She didn’t know what they found so appealing; she had been unable to trim her pubic hair in months, so she was a mess of curling, black hair that crept down onto her thighs. She looks a mess, with her dark stretchmarks, somehow still fat with a meager diet. So many scars, so much hair…

“Exquisite,” Barsad murmured, pressing down to kiss at her inner thigh, right over the strikings of her stretchmarks. It’s so worshipping that it made her ache. It took the end of the world for someone to want her.

She didn’t know she was tearing up until Bane’s voice cut through the air. “Back, brother.” Barsad moved away immediately, his eyes snapping up to her face. She was startled by it, looking to Bane in shock. “Do you not want it, habibi?”

Oh. “I want it,” she gasped, pressing her fists over her eyes. “I do, I really do, it’s just…no one’s wanted me, wanted to do this to me before. I lost my virginity to a man who didn’t care about me. I called him and told him I wanted him to fuck me, and he showed up. He fucked me on the couch downstairs, so distant and…god, he disgusted me, but I wanted someone to touch me so badly I…I’m just overwhelmed. You two are treating me so…so well. It’s amazing. I can hardly breathe, I’m so…” She trailed off, unsure of how to put it.

“What are you, habibi?” Bane’s voice, so patient, so calm.

“I’m happy.”

“Habibi.” He leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers, just as he had done for Barsad. She didn’t know just how intimate it was until she remembered just how big he was, how brutal that mask was. She could feel his breath gusting through it, caressing over her lips like a kiss, measured and slow.

She didn’t know what came over her, but she leaned up, pressing her lips to the mask. It was cold, harsh against her skin, but she wants to kiss him. She wants to give this to him, even if he couldn’t feel it.

It was enough, apparently. The rumble that echoed through his chest was deeper than anything she had ever heard before, and after a moment, he drew away, his eyes ablaze.

“Did I…” She started to sit up, but Barsad’s hand on her shoulder kept her down.

“He is restraining himself, that is all. His mask is…even I know not to touch his mask, if I want to be able to walk the next day.”

She hadn’t angered Bane. She’d…she’d aroused him even more. Oh goodness. She blushed harder, easing back into the pillows. “Please Barsad…I want to…I want you to taste me.”

The faint humor in his eyes disappeared instantly, becoming hot and hungry once more. “Of course, little bird,” he breathed before he eased down, resting on his belly between her legs. He shifted her legs over his shoulders like he had done this many times, and for a moment, she wondered if he had had a female lover, before. Probably, as he was so handsome, but she still wondered about it until he actually pressed in and kissed her cunt.

The man that she had lain with had touched her there, before. With his fingers, almost rough as he felt for how wet she was, where to slip his cock in. Having Barsad kiss her there, so gently, before slipping his tongue between the lips of her pussy…it’s something totally different. It’s hot and soft, like he’s actually taking in her taste and savoring it, like she was a fine wine.

“How does she taste, brother? Tell me.” Bane sounded strained, now more than ever, as he watched Barsad’s head shift between her thighs.

“She has a spice, brother. She is...” Barsad hummed as he reached up, spreading her open with his fingers. “She tastes better than anything I have ever tasted before.” And then his lips and tongue were on her again, stroking and tasting reverently.

It was almost unbearable, at how good it felt. Barsad seemed to know exactly how to touch her, how to make her quake and moan, writhing in his grip. When she looked to Bane, he was watching Barsad with a single minded intensity, watching how Barsad nuzzled and licked and kissed and sucked…

Bane had an oral fixation. That had to be it. With his mouth covered that way, he had to be obsessed with everything that had to do with mouths, simply because he couldn’t do it. He wanted…

She felt pity ache through her at the thought. The mask was nothing more than a muzzle. She had no idea what it was for, really, but she figured he had some very good reason to keep himself muzzled like that.

“Make her come,” Bane said suddenly, startling her. “Please, brother.” He sounded pained, more than she was used to hearing.

Barsad didn’t respond, just latching over clit and suckling until her orgasm started to rise hard, fast and hot as she started to gasp and sob as it became overwhelming. She quaked and arched and finally screamed, hands clawing at the blankets as she came harder than she could have ever remembered coming before.

Despite the buzzing in her ears, she heard Bane whispering something in that lyrical language, finally feeling his mask press against her brow. She started to anticipate it, waiting for it, hoping, and she was not disappointed.

“Habibi.”

She loved that word. It was the most wonderful thing to be called, in her mind. Her name could go to hell as long as Bane kept calling her that.

Baarsad drew away, brushing a blanket over her for modesty before reaching out for Bane. “You ache, brother. Allow me to ease you.”

“No.” Bane drew away, finally rising from the bed. “In this state, I would hurt you both, beyond repair. I need you strong, brother…and I would never hurt you, habibi. I will go, and will return to you when I am myself again.”

Sep sat up to watch the beast lumber from the room, letting out a concerned sound. “He…why did he…”

“Make no mistake, little bird…he aches for us both. He wishes he could please us, but he can’t. Not now.” Barsad wiped his mouth dry with the back of his hand, settling down in bed beside her. “But his lust would hurt us both.”

“Is he…violent when aroused?”

Barsad’s eyes flicked over to her, amused. “Sometimes, when he craves it. But no, little bird…he is gentle. He witnessed much sexual brutality in the Pit…he would never inflict it.”

“Then…why does he resist? Why is he so certain he will hurt us?” She eased back into Barsad’s embrace, snuggling close, feeling warm from her orgasm.

“He is…proportionate,” Barsad said smoothly, chuckling when she let out a confused sound. “It takes much prep to accept him into your body, be it orally or otherwise. In his frantic desire, he would be impatient for the prep and might hurt us.” Barsad drifted off as she reeled with the thought, trying to imagine how large his cock was. “He hurt me once.”

“Oh geez.” She looked up at Barsad, frowning. “How?”

“My ass wasn’t stretched well enough.” He spoke it easily, and she had to remind herself that sharing a bed with a fellow warrior meant something different for his people. “When he pressed inside, I tore. The moment I screamed, he was off me and bundling me away for a doctor. It was a weakness, screaming in pain.”

“Geezus, Barsad…your scream saved you serious harm and Bane’s conscious. How do you think he would have felt if he’d fucked you through the pain?”

“A valid point, little bird,” Barsad agreed, turning his head to kiss her brow. “Mind you…you really do taste sublime.”

She blushed, closing her eyes. “So do you.”

It felt right when he tipped her head up, kissing her gently. She let herself doze in his arms, even if she knew they still had many hours left in the day. She felt too good to move.

She dreamt of Bane’s cock.

+++++++++++++++++++

“Did he finish inside you?”

Certainly not the first thing she expected to hear when she went down for breakfast.

Sep fumbled with her bowl of oatmeal, looking in shock at the men beside her. There had to be at least four of them, all looking at her with rapt interest. “Wh…what?”

“We heard you last night, the sounds you made…did Bane finish inside you?” The man speaking fumbled, glancing to the others for support. “We heard you scream and then Bane stalked out and…he bedded you, didn’t he?”

“What the hell?” She sputtered, flailing a little. “What…why would you…holy shit what the hell why would you ask me that what does it even matter-”

“Why does my little bird squawk so?”

“Barsad, thank god.” She sighed, pressing a hand to her brow, pleased to see the men tensing. Well…they were just curious. Bane was their leader, their god…they surely had never seen him display any kind of weakness or human feeling. “These men were just telling me about some gross prank they pulled a while ago. Freaked me out.”

She could see the relief filter over their faces, but one just smiled and nodded. “She had seemed the type to want to know a prank.”

Barsad had to know. He just smiled, almost pitying, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Right. You would do well to speak carefully around Bane’s prize. What if she took offense? And told Bane?”

That seemed to be enough to send the men scattering. She sighed, looking down at her oatmeal. “You heard them, didn’t you?”

“I did. I am curious as to why you saw fit to defend them. They spoke out of turn.”

“I’m not some royalty or anything. I mean, I was sold to Bane. If anything, I should be on the bottom rung of whatever kind of societal ladder this place has…but I’m not. I appreciate it, but it’s still just…I dunno, it feels strange to me.”

“My brother no doubt sees an innocence in you that he would like to protect. He made you a bracelet and…well, he seems to have become quite fascinated with your lips.”

“He has an oral fixation, I know.” She sighed, heading out into the main foyer with Barsad. “I just…I wish I could make him feel good too.”

“You already do, little bird.” Barsad reassured her, squeezing her slightly. “He enjoys watching. I have never seen him so intensely focused.”

She grunted, unconvinced as she settled down to eat her breakfast. “He’s human, you know. I’m sure his body aches more than we know.”

“I’m aware of his aches, his desires. I have bedded him…” Barsad hummed, eyes alight with that hidden laughter. “I know what makes him come.”

“Geezus.” She was blushing now, fumbling at the thought…but she was curious. “What…what does he like?”

He settled back, staring up at the ceiling as he thought. “You were right about the oral fixation. When I please him, we don’t have much time to linger…I know that he always watches without falter.” Barsad’s eyes shifted over to her after a moment. “I suppose I don’t know as much as I think. I do know that he never finishes inside.”

“Never…oh. Why not?”

“He is…” Barsad paused, seeming uncertain. “His loads are very…there is much of it. He is…potent.”

“Oh geez.” She poked at her oatmeal, thinking about it. “He uh…did he ever finish inside of you?”

“Yes.” Barsad chuckled, sitting up a little more. “It was uncomfortable. I kept dripping all day long…we tried to use protection after that. Didn’t work.”

“Oh.” She bit her lip, imagining what it would be like to have Bane on top of her, filling her and… “I think…I think I would like it.” She ignored Barsad’s surprised look, staring straight ahead. “As long as I didn’t have to do anything the next day, I think I would like it. Being…filled like that.”

“My brother truly won when he traded for you,” Barsad said confidently, nodding a little. “You are a prize, little bird.”

“What? Because I like the idea of being pumped full of cum?” She had intended to sound snotty, but judging from the look that came across Barsad’s face, she said something absolutely wonderful. “Um.”

“Would you…let me?” Barsad finally asked, looking hopeful. “I just…maybe my brother and I could…”

“Yeah.” She swallowed hard, reaching up to fiddle with her hair a bit. “When I feel ready to…yeah. Yeah I’d like that.”

“Little bird,” he said softly, turning to nuzzle against her shoulder. She honestly didn’t know how to respond to all the affection, just fumbling and blushing at his nuzzle. “Absolutely a treasure.”

She turned to respond when she felt a faint rumble, looking up in surprise. It took her a moment to realize that Barsad was on his feet instantly, leaning forward like he was ready to bolt. “Barsad? What was that?”

He didn’t need to answer, as the front doors burst open and men started pouring through. Men with guns. Men who shot one of the soldiers who once brought her an apple, when fresh fruit was such a prize.

A part of her knew that these men were supposed to be good, probably cops or soldiers of some kind, but right now she just felt anger that they had killed one of the men that she had been spending so much time with on a daily basis. She was screaming before she knew why she was, and all she could do was watch as Barsad dashed forward, to defend their home. She didn’t want Barsad to go, didn’t want him to fight. She just wanted those men to go away, but she knew that they had to be taken care of.

They had a purpose, she knew. There was that bomb, that bomb somewhere in the city and they were probably fighting to get rid of the bomb. They were supposed to be good. But she just…she just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

Barsad moved like a shadow through the men, the faint glint in his hands indicating some kind of knife, but it was too fast. She hadn’t seen the soldier side of Barsad since that first night that he had come to her home. He was certainly lethal, but there were so many men, so many soldiers and all of Barsad’s men were still recovering. No one ever expected an attack early in the morning, They were just going to have breakfast and…

“Sep!” Her mother slid up beside her, eyes wide and wild. “Thank god they showed up on time-”

“You called them here?” Sep bristled, sitting up straighter. “You called the police here?”

“Yes! They’re here to get rid of Bane’s men, so we can have our house back. We’ll be free!”

“The fuck are you…” She trailed off when she saw a cop come stumbling towards them, falling to his knees in front of her. “What?”

“We need to go now. We managed to get here just as Bane left but we don’t have much time. Come on!”

Her mother shoved her up just as the cop grabbed her arm, both of them working together to haul her to her feet. She wanted to fight it, but she was confused. Should she go? Should she flee with these cops and her parents and…maybe they would get her out of the city. Maybe she could have some way to survive the bomb or…she didn’t know.

She let them drag her towards the door, confused as she considered it. Should she…

“Bane is here! Pull back, pull back!”

Bane? She turned her head, searching wildly until she saw that beast stalking through the crowd, pausing to grab a man, twisting his head roughly, clearly snapping his neck in an instant.

She didn’t doubt his gentleness with her. She knew that he would never harm her, not like this, but…maybe she should go. She could always come back, right? They cared about her…right?

Bane’s eyes narrowed and he roared, just roared through his mask as he slammed his fist into another man’s face, the force of it crumpling flesh and bone into pulp.

Right.

She turned, following the cop and her parents out into the front, letting herself be shoved into a van.

Maybe it was for the best. Maybe…

“Habibi!”

Shit.


	4. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She leaves her cushy nest, if only to get a better view on the world and the terrorists that had taken her in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was actually much longer, but I cut in half because, well, the second half is a little more....raunchy. Again, everything happens really quickly I wrote about 90% of this fic in under a month.

“Hey, you need to eat something.”

She lifted her head a little, looking blankly at the cop kneeling beside her. “I don’t want to.”

The cop smiled, patient, as he sat down. “I know you’ve been through a lot, but you’re safe now. Come on, you need to eat, keep your strength up.”

She glanced at the food, at the cereal. It wasn’t right. It was morning. It was supposed to be oatmeal. It needed to be warm, goopy oatmeal with a handful of dried fruits sprinkled in, sometimes pieces of candy if the cook was feeling particularly fond of her. “I can’t eat that. I just can’t.”

His smile faltered a little, but he set the bowl down, settling more comfortably in. He hugged his knees a little, just zoning out, probably trying to let her get used to his presence. She just wanted him to go away, leave her alone to be confused. “You were trapped there for about three months.”

Trapped. Right. She swallowed hard, turning her face away.

“Did they…did they hurt you? Your mother said that the only way to guarantee your survival was to agree that-”

“Don’t. Don’t you fucking try and tell me those lies my mother spoon-fed you.” Digging her nails into her arms, she glared at the cop. “She sold me like a piece of meat so that she could keep living in that shitty mansion. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her possessions, so she sold me to a terrorist. I mean nothing to her.”

“Oh.” The cop reached out, touching her hand until she relaxed it. “Did they hurt you?”

“Did…Bane and his men? No, not ever. They were…” Why was she telling him all this? He was a cop, and he could use it against them. Bane had still called out to her…he hadn’t been angry at her leaving. Worried. Telling the cops any information would be a betrayal. It was what made her press her lips together tightly and turn away.

The cop sighed, rubbing her hand slightly. “My name is Detective Blake, by the way…I just want to help you. If they hurt you, they’re the ones to blame, not you. It was them who…”

God, as if Bane and Barsad could ever rape her. Bane had left the room to keep himself from accidentally hurting her in his eagerness, Barsad fairly suffering mass agony just so he wouldn’t thrust, fighting orgasm so he could still feel her mouth on him…the way they looked at her, held her close at night, whispering such devoted words…

“Bane yelled something, when we were getting you out of there. Do you know what he said?”

“It…he was saying ‘habibi’. He called me ‘habibi’.” She swallowed hard, closing her eyes tight. God, she wanted to hear him say that again. “Fuck.” She curled up tighter, tucking her face against her knees. “I can’t…dammit. I shouldn’t have come here. I should have stayed. I can’t believe I…”

“Hey hey hey, it’s okay. You’re safe now, you don’t have to worry. They can’t get you here…” Blake leaned over, wrapping his arm around her. “You don’t have to-”

“You don’t understand!” She wailed, shoving away from him. “I don’t want to fucking talk about it. I don’t want to…you don’t get it. You…” She was shaking, her thoughts a mess. She knew they were terrorists, here to destroy the city, but no one had ever been so kind to her. The way Bane had looked at her, that sweet smile Barsad gave her…what had she been thinking? She shouldn’t have left. There was no reason for her to leave.

Or was she being dramatic about it? Because she was unsure, wondering if she was too devoted to the terrorists who…oh who cared? The city was probably going to be destroyed anyways, so why not live vicariously, just for a little while? If they made her happy…then she would try it. She would just try to be happy.

Blake sighed as he stood, reaching down to squeeze her shoulder. “Make sure to eat.” And then he left her alone, huddled in the corner of the headquarters the remaining cops had set up.

It was nothing like her home. The cops here seemed to twitch in fear of each other, leaning away from anyone that got to close, scuttling around like cockroaches under the shine of a flashlight. Bane’s men pressed close to each other, whispering like children about some secret or another, always welcoming someone new to their side. When they found someone precious and rare, they shared it, calling each other ‘brother’, laughing and hugging in the pleasure of just being around someone they cared about.

She didn’t feel safe there. She knew Bane’s men would never touch her unless she invited it, but here…she didn’t know. These men were desperate.

Sep stayed in that corner for most of her time there, sleeping in the corner. During the day, she started to edge her way out, exploring as much as she could without fear of attack. The cops eyed her, and she knew that rumors spread. They knew she had lived with Bane and his men, and refused to talk about it. She figured that they assumed she was consistently sexually assaulted by them. They thought she was some rape victim, but really…they had been so careful.

All of it had been about her accepting it. They had always asked, watching her, touching so carefully and…the way Barsad had kissed her thighs, worshipped her stretchmarks and…

God she missed them. If it had been a lie, it had been a wonderful lie. It had felt so real, so good and warm. Pressed between them, feeling Bane’s purr before he whispered to her, his voice so warm, even behind the cold electronics. Those eyes were so expressive, searing into her soul even as Barsad nuzzled against her back like a happy cat.

So much attention, so much affection. To be cut off so completely was cruel. She should have fought it even more.

Staying in that hovel was starting to grate on her. Seeing these twitchy men, all shying away from her…it made her even more nervous about the whole thing. So she sought out Blake, determined to do something more.

“I want to go outside.”

Blake looked up, startled. “Outside? Why?”

“I need air. You go on patrols or something? I want to go with you.”

“That’s not a good idea. It’s not safe out there, you know.”

“It’s not safe in here either. The way your men treat each other…I can’t stay here. I need to see the city, see what is going on. I won’t get in the way, I swear. I just need to breathe, see the city. I need to know. Please.” She looked down at her feet, letting out a shaky sigh. “I need a reason to understand why I have to stay here.”

“Right.” Blake cleared his throat, then nodded. “Okay. I’m going on a run to find any gasoline that might be left, on the off chance we can make a run out of the city.”

“Good! Good. Alright.” She managed a smile, waiting for him to lead the way.

The city was more of a mess than she thought it could be. Cars destroyed, people fighting over food at the ration distribution center…and she noticed there wasn’t a single woman on the streets. It made her worry, made her worry as to where the women might be hiding…if they were hiding. The alternative was more than a little horrifying, and she pressed closer to Blake in her fear.

“Look at what these terrorists have done to the city. And they think they’re helping.” Blake sneered, shaking his head.

“What?” She looked down the street from the alleyway they were huddled in. “They didn’t do this.”

“What?” His brow furrowed as he looked at her, seeming to slump.

“Yeah, I mean…the terrorists blew up the stadium and opened up the prison but…they’ve just been hiding, or doing patrols. The people that are fighting, hurting each other over food, looting…it’s the citizens. The people of Gotham, they’re the ones destroying the city. The terrorists started it, lit the fire, but the rest of it is just the city.” She could tell that Blake was thinking she was crazy, but she felt it in her heart. They were terrorists, but they just…let the city carry off on its own. It was the city.

Blake sighed, rubbing his face with both hands. “Did they tell you this?”

“Did…no. They never talked to me about their plans. They just…treated me like a person. Why?”

“The bomb is going to go off eventually, Sep. It’s destabilizing, and eventually it will go off on its own, whether or not someone triggers it. They’re going to destroy the city no matter what.”

“Wh…what?” She straightened, staring at Blake. “They…are you sure?”

“Yes. They’re going to…” Blake trailed off, watching as she started to pace. “Sep, they’re terrorists. They destroy things. Why are you…”

“Bane called me habibi. He whispered it to me as he held me in his arms at night. He was knitting me a fucking blanket. I can’t believe he would just…let the city burn.”

Blake’s face contorted in confusion, as if he didn’t believe what she said. “Bane is a monster. Whatever he did-”

“I’m not going to stand here and claim that I meant something special to Bane. I don’t want to sound like some kind of fairy princess in this whole mess. I don’t think I can change their minds about anything. I don’t think I’m going to make a difference…but I slept beside Bane every night for weeks. His actions, his way of speaking…I cannot believe that he is the one that wants to destroy the city. He was…he was so gentle.” She let out a shuddering breath, covering her eyes with a shaking hand. “Bane wouldn’t do this.”

“And your reasoning is from the fact that he cuddled you once in a while?”

“Look, I know it sounds stupid. But Bane is a mercenary, right? He’s paid to do things for others. He’s not a leader in a sense that he could decide to destroy a city. He’s not like…”

“Bane broke Batman. Like a twig. And now Batman is gone, and everything is falling apart. Bane is…violent. He’s a murderer. He’s-”

“I know what he is. Just…I don’t…” She sighed, slumping against the brick wall. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

“So he was kind to you when he had you as a prisoner. Did he ever…touch you?”

“The fuck does that matter?”

“I just want to understand your thoughts. You believe he could never blow up the city, and I want to know why. Did he ever touch you sexually?”

“No! Not…not really. He didn’t.”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “That sounds like there’s a ‘but’ in there.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m away from them, right? I’m never going to see them again.” She let out a slow breath, leaning back so her head rested against the bricks. “I just don’t want to believe that it’s Bane with his hand on the trigger, so to speak.”

Blake sighed too, straightening up. “Whatever you believe, it’s happening. And we’re doing everything we can to keep that bomb from going off.”

She grunted, head lolling off to the side. “I know. I don’t want Gotham to burn. I’m just saying that not all of this can be blamed on the terrorists.”

“Fair enough. Come on, we need to keep going. Another patrol will be coming.”

It was reassuring, be able to go out every day with Blake. Yes, it was cold and snowing, but she felt safer in the streets than she did cooped up with desperate men. She dodged patrols and wandering looters with Blake, but she didn’t know what her purpose was with it. Was that all she wanted to do? Sort of help out in the city while the cops tried to find a way to get the bomb not to explode? She was no active help, with her doubts. They wanted to out Bane for it all, but she doubted it was him. It couldn’t have been him. He was too….gentle.

“There seem to be more patrols than before,” Blake grumbled, ducking down behind a car. “It’s like they’re anticipating an attack or something.”

“Or something.” She shrugged, glancing over. “Who knows what they’re up to anymore?”

“You can’t guess? You were with them for quite a while.”

“I told you, they never told me shit. They fed me and I read to them and I played card games with them. That’s it. I never…I never asked. I didn’t want to know. I was happy.” She sighed, resting her forehead on the side of the icy car. “And they were happy that I was happy.”

Blake sighed slowly, reaching over to grip her shoulder. “But there’s more possibilities out here, away from them. I know it seems kind of sad right now…I know you miss them. And I know you probably want to go back, but it’s better like this, I promise.”

So he said. It was cold at night, alone in her corner.

She and Blake tensed when a patrol started to roll by, going abnormally slow. They exchanged glances when men started to pile out, hunching down lower.

“Search the area. Orders have come through that there’s been glimpses of our little bird.”

Little bird?

She sat up a little straighter. They were looking for her? Maybe?

“Sep, don’t,” Blake whispered, reaching out to her. “What are you doing?”

“I…” She glanced over at him, clearing her throat. “You should stay hidden.”

“Don’t-”

She slid away from him, her heart hammering in her chest as she moved around the side of the car. One of those strange tanks sat no more than fifteen feet from where they had been hiding, several men on and around it. She tried to spot someone, anyone that she recognized from the mansion, but no luck…she still wanted to risk it.

Lifting her hands above her head, she straightened up. “I…the little bird wants to fly home now,” she said loudly, flinching when they whirled on her. “I want to go home.”

“Check her,” one man snapped, keeping his gun pointed at her as another man approached her. He pat her down thoroughly, ignoring her distressed huffs and grunts. When he patted down her arm, he started to hesitate, looking back at his crew as he lifted it, showing the others her wrist.

She was confused until she looked at it…her bracelet. The one so carefully woven by Bane himself.

“Call headquarters. Tell them we might have found their little bird.”

They’d been looking for her! All this time and they were…they were looking for her. She wanted to cry, but she just hugged herself and waited for whatever commands they had. She knew Blake was probably nearby, but she couldn’t bring herself to care too terribly much. Hopefully he had the idea that he wasn’t necessary there anymore, and could just leave. She was in no danger there, she didn’t think.

It was awkward and tense, with her glancing at the strange men once in a while. She supposed they were waiting for someone to show up…?

Another tank came rumbling up, the top popping open before it came to a complete stop.

Barsad came scrambling out.

“Little bird?” He gasped, nearly tripping over himself.

“Barsad!” She called back in glee, moving forward without thinking. One of the men reached out to stop her, but Barsad snapped at him in Arabic, making the man recoil instantly.

She reached the side of the tank just as Barsad jumped down from it, and she had never felt more adored than when he swept her into a bone crushing embrace, utterly enfolding her in his arms. She let out a sob of relief as she clung back just as tightly, tucking her face against his chest as he stroked her hair, over and over, whispering soft things to her that she didn’t understand. It didn’t matter.

“How are you, little bird? Did they treat you well?” Barsad murmured, turning his head to kiss the top of her head.

“Not as well as you. Not even close.”

“Oh, my little bird…” He drew back enough to cup her cheek, giving her that same, sweet smile he used to. “We should never have let you flutter away. Come…brother will need to see you.”

“Bane,” she sighed, turning her head to nuzzle into his palm. “Has he worried?”

“He’s done more than worry.” Barsad’s grip tightened on her, his eyes darkening. “And what would you like done about your little friend who still watches?”

Blake. Dumbass hadn’t run away yet. “Leave him,” she shrugged, “he was kind enough to me. I don’t see why anything should be done.”

“Mm. Very well, little bird.” Keeping her close, he turned and started to climb up onto the tank once more, helping her climb it with him, never letting go. It was a bit of a squeeze to get into the tank at first, but they tucked down in together, with a spare man to drive them away. She was tucked into Barsad’s lap, which she was more than fine with. It was where she wanted to be. “So…did they touch you?”

“No, Barsad. They…they eyed me like they wanted to, but they never touched me. I was…scared that they would.” She glanced at him, swallowing hard. “I stayed tucked away in a corner at night. It was cold…I missed home all the time.”

“Home?” He reached up, brushing her hair back, off of her face. “Where’s home?”

She smiled faintly, turning her head a bit. “Snuggled up between you and Bane.”

He grinned immediately, squeezing her a little tighter. “Perfect. I’m afraid we no longer stay in your mansion…my brother didn’t much like it after the attack, but he did make sure to collect many of your things before we left, on the off chance that we would find you again, little bird.” Barsad nuzzled her neck carefully, humming. “He’s making you the perfect nest, right where no one will ever be able to snatch you again. A safe nest, plush and soft and warm, where you can settle down all broody.”

“Sounds perfect.” She was content to sleep, really, just tucked in his embrace, but Barsad kept murmuring to her, his words mixing in between English and Arabic, a mess of words that she didn’t really want to take the time to understand. He didn’t seem to mind either way.

She was home…she was finally home.


	5. Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her terrorists made a nest for her, and she welcomes them both into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight real talk. I didn't think I'd be posting this fic so... This chapter is about 90% sex, and as I wrote it for myself, I put some weird kinks in here. It might squick people out. So be warned, for the love of god, understand that I am a gross person. Super gross. You've been warned.

Dreams were so much more…fulfilling when she was in their arms, she noticed. Interesting thought.

As the tank slowed to a stop, she opened her eyes gradually, peering out the dark windshield. She had to remember to recognize the towering pillars, the smooth stone…

“City Hall,” she mused, glancing at Barsad. “Interesting place to setup.”

“My brother felt it was more suitable than some mansion. Closer to the people.”

It seemed about right. She did her best to get out of the tank without help, waiting for Barsad before moving forward. She knew they were terrorists, and out in the open, she couldn’t be so certain that they would act predictably the whole time. Having Barsad’s hand on her lower back was a comfort, and it made her walk more confidently up the steps. Guards paced up and down the steps, glancing at her from time to time, but otherwise facing forward. She figured Bane would have stepped up security after that attack, and so tried to not be too worried about it.

The moment they stepped inside, she was hit with warmth, surprised to see several fires lit within the city hall. It made sense to warm it this way, and she wondered why they hadn’t done that before when at her mansion. It didn’t particularly matter anymore, since they weren’t there.

Barsad led her through City Hall until they came across a back office, probably the mayor’s office. What she saw first was a small woman standing in front of the desk, and then she saw her Bane, leaning against the desk as he spoke to her. She wanted to call out, wanted to…but she held back, swallowing hard.

The woman turned first, apparently having heard their approach, and she smiled softly, her head tipping to the side. “The prize has been found, my friend.”

Bane’s attention snapped over immediately, his eyes widening for just a moment. Sep stared back, hoping, wondering…

“Habibi,” Bane gasped, striding past the woman in great steps, and when he was close enough to her he swept her up in his arms, tucking his face against her neck. “Oh how I worried for you, habibi.”

“I’m okay,” she said meekly, her face aching from the grin she didn’t know she was wearing. “I’m okay, really.”

“Did they feed you well?” He pulled back enough to start groping over her, his hands pinching and squeezing at her middle. “You have lost some of your softness, habibi. You did not eat enough.”

“I…I wasn’t a cop so I didn’t get as much. They needed the energy for the people trying to save the city.” She felt oddly warm by the thunderous expression Bane cast at Barsad. “I didn’t starve, Bane.”

“Close enough.” He growled as he straightened, looking out the door, as if he wanted to storm out and exact revenge for her thinness.

The woman moved closer, reaching up to touch Bane’s shoulder. Her touch, though light, made Bane still and look down at her immediately. “Calm yourself, my friend. They did not know what they were handling when they had it. I will compensate you, give you some of my own supplies so that you may plump up your beloved once more.”

Bane softened, bowing his head. “You spoil me, sister.”

She let out a soft laugh, reaching up to touch his mask with gentle fingers. “Only because you deserve it, my friend.”

Sep watched the whole exchange curiously. The woman was clearly important to Bane and Barsad both, and she even seemed to have a position of power between them.

She was the trigger. This woman had to be it.

Sep flinched a little when the woman looked to her again, and the weight in those eyes made her duck her head a little, if only to show some form of respect. The motion was noticed by all of them, as she got a hum of approval from the woman, a faint rumble from Bane, and Barsad’s arm slipping around her middle to squeeze lightly.

“So you are my friend’s beloved…you are not what I would have expected most. He seems to prefer darker hair…you are a change.” The woman reached up, fingering a strand of Sep’s sadly greasy hair. “You are soft, decadent…you are a sin for him, little one.”

Sep blushed, glancing over at Bane. “I…I’m sorry?”

“Do not take my words for an insult, little one. I could never get my friend to relax and enjoy anything. I am glad he has found something to entertain him until the city burns.”

Right. That. Sep cleared her throat, wanting to turn away but not wanting to be rude. The city was going to burn, no matter what. “How long do we have,” she whispered, swallowing hard.

“A month. A month of bliss for you and my brothers. Make sure to use it well.” The woman pressed in, kissing her brow before moving away. “I will send the supplies shortly. Make sure to bathe your beloved and show her her nest.”

Bane lifted his head to watch the woman leave, not turning away until she was truly gone from the room. Only then did he sweep his arms around her, picking her up with ease and carrying her from the office. Barsad trailed after them, but Sep was still confused. Who was that woman? And why was she so important? What made Bane decide to…what, follow her directions? Blow up a city?

Deeper in the building, Barsad strode ahead, into the darkness of whatever room they were in. He lit candles, apparently, as the warm glow started to fill the room. She wanted to keep watching, but Bane eased them both back into some large chair she hadn’t noticed before, cradling her close, like a child.

“I missed you, habibi,” he murmured, pressing the cold metal of his mask against her cheek. “Our bed felt so empty without you in it.”

“How do you think I felt, sleeping alone?” She teased right back, surprised by the distraught expression she saw in his eyes when she pulled away. “Hey now, don’t look so sad! It’s not your fault that I left. I was…I was weak, and I didn’t fight as I should have to keep them from taking me from you. Any loneliness I felt was my own fault.”

“They took precious time away from us. Only a month now…” Bane grumbled, ducking in to nuzzle at her collarbone. “I thought I would have more time.”

“Time for what?”

“Time to enjoy the company of a woman. I have never known such softness before you.” His eyes remained low as he reached up, smoothing a hand over her side. “Such plush curves, delicate lines, perfect decadence…my sister was correct. You are a decadence that I had sought to thoroughly enjoy before time ran out.”

“I’m sorry a month was taken from you,” she said sadly, stroking a hand over the back of his neck, her fingertips finding the top of his ragged scar. “I didn’t fight as hard as I could have and I cheated you because of it.” When he lifted his head, she leaned in, pressing her forehead to his. “Burning with the city will be a just punishment for it, don’t you think?”

“No,” Bane fairly snapped, and while she expected him to pull away, he just reached up, lacing his hands in her hair. “I will not let you burn.”

“Bane, I know that the bomb…I know it can’t be stopped. I know it’s going to blow and I know there will be no retribution for Gotham without fire. I am a part of Gotham…I will burn with it.”

“No!” He was shaking a little now, startling her. “I will send you away before the fire.”

“Wh…what?”

Another hand slid over her back, and Barsad pressed a kiss to the top of her head carefully. “We discussed it while you were away from us, little bird. Before the explosion, we will send you to a place where you can be truly cared for. There is a light in you, and I know that you will be well received at the League of Shadows.”

“The league of what now?”

Bane sighed, his hands dropping from her hair. “Bathe her, and then we will explain, brother.”

She didn’t think she’d take a grumpy bath now that she was an adult, but she certainly did now. She scrubbed herself briskly and only washed her hair well because she knew Barsad would want to nuzzle it, and she didn’t want him to have to deal with the greasiness. Only when she emerged from the semi-private bathing area, bundled in a robe, did they move to speak to her again.

“Come. You will be most comfortable in the nest my brother made for you, little bird,” Barsad cooed, taking her hand.

It was even further back in the hall that they found her nest, cast into a soothing darkness, lit only by a single gas lantern. She recognized blankets from her own bed, and countless others, with pillows and cushions and…it was lavish, and they made it for her. She made an embarrassingly pleased sound as she stepped forward to sink into it, feeling them all until she felt an unusually soft blanket in the midst of it all. When she tugged on it, she saw it was knitted, and it was in various shades of green.

“My blanket. Bane you…you finished my blanket?”

“I did, habibi. I wanted to welcome you with it.”

Unable to find words to respond with, she just nestled down in the nest even more. For a moment, something felt…off, and when she turned, she noticed Bane and Barsad simply kneeling at the edges of her nest. “Won’t you join me?”

“It is your nest, little bird. We would not intrude if you did not want us to.”

“Oh. Well I want you two to join me. So get in here.”

The both moved in unison, finding comfortable positions to lay in on either side of her, all while making sure to reach out and touch her in some way, with Barsad’s hand brushing over her shoulder, and Bane’s hand resting almost possessively on her belly. That touch made her feel a little tense, but she could think of no way to request him to stop, so she just let it settle there, and dealt with it.

As much as she wanted to relax, she had to know more about whatever it was they had mentioned. “So…what is this league?”

Bane’s eyes fell shut as he heaved a sigh. “The League of Shadows is a group of assassins. Mercenaries, in a sense. We can be hired, but we must agree with the cause before joining it. The League is what made me into what I am, or at least took what I was and gave it purpose. Without the League, I would have been left to rot in the Pit.”

“I don’t think I’d be a good fit in a league of assassins, Bane. I’m not athletic, and it doesn’t sound like I would have any skills they would want. I’m too…too soft.”

“Soft is good, at times.” Barsad scooted closer, smiling when she glanced over. “The league has always wanted a healer among them. I think you would be good at this.”

“I feel weird at the sight of gore. I’m pretty sure I’d pass out.”

“Nonsense. Besides, there are other means of healing. They could train you. You would be wonderful at it.” Barsad smiled faintly, trailing his hand down the terrycloth that covered her skin. “It would be a comfort, knowing that you go to the League as Bane and I finish out our duties.”

Part of her had known, but it still made her rear up, gasping out in indignation. “Geezus! So you think I would go willingly while I knew you two stayed in this city and burned?” She hunched over, hugging her knees. “There’s…I can’t. I can’t now.”

“You cannot do what, habibi?” Bane sat up as well, wrapping an arm around her.

“I fucking care about you guys, okay? I can’t run away and know you’re resigning yourself to death with this shitty city. I don’t…” She bit her lip, fighting tears. “No one will want me like you two do. No one ever has, and no one will…”

“They were fools not to act on the desires I know they had. You are exquisite, habibi, and I have no doubts that many have lusted after you, but have feared rejection too much to act on it.” The cold metal pressed against the side of her neck, making her huff. “At the League, you will be treated as a goddess, dressed in finery as you tend to those who will look up to you like they have seen nothing more beautiful.”

“Why?” She fairly choked. The idea of finery and riches never appealed to her until Bane offered it up. “Why should they treat me as such?”

“Because I will mark you. The League will see my sign and they will know how rare you are. They will worship the woman who tempted such gentility out of a beast such as I.” Bane seemed to hesitate, but then he nuzzled harder. “I had been cast out for a time, but after the late leader’s death, a new leader rose, and I was lifted back into the rightful place with my brothers and sisters. I am feared, respected, and they will take your mark as a true sign of my devotion to you, habibi.”

She was a mess of emotions, her thoughts swimming with utter adoration of the two men who kept touching and worshipping her, though she never deserved it. She didn’t know what was so special about her, but if she only had a month left…she didn’t want to waste it. Twisting in Bane’s grip, she cupped his face until he lifted his head. She wanted to say something profound, maybe even a little sappy, but the words failed her, and all she could do was lean in and kiss his mask.

Barsad’s intrigued sound was echoed by Bane’s rumble, and it did nothing but encourage her in her kisses. Just a month before she lost them both, and she wanted to make it count. She wanted…she wanted them. She wanted to feel pleasure with them, wanted to give them both something of herself. She wanted to be able to give it as often as possible, so starting that night seemed like a wonderful idea. Even with the kisses, she reached up and trailed her fingers over the metal and leather that covered him, just wanting to worship all that she could, to show her appreciation somehow.

“You play with fire, habibi,” Bane warned, his hands stroking over the robe carefully. “Let us just rest and-”

“But I want you,” she fairly whine, sounding much like a petulant child.

He rumbled, hands stilling. “Say that again, habibi.”

Oh. She bit her lip, lingering close to his mask. “I want you.” Reaching up further, she draped her arms around his shoulders. “I want both you and Barsad. I want to give myself to you, completely. I…please.”

“How can we deny her when she asks so prettily?” Barsad cooed, but there was a heat to his voice that thrilled her. “Come now, brother…who are we to deny the little bird her pleasures?”

“And what are your pleasures?” Bane’s voice was definitely deeper than before, and it encouraged her into kissing his mask again.

“Geezus.” They were going to make her spell it out for them, weren’t they? She felt too embarrassed, choosing to instead shrug off her robe, blushing as their eyes trailed down her torso instantly, admiring what she so exposed. “Please show me how good it can feel.”

“Kiss her, brother,” Bane growled, and with such a tone, there was no room for Barsad to hesitate.

Her sleepy eyed lover surged in all at once, kissing her with the hunger that had built in the time they had been separated, that month making them all ache. Before she had been taken, they had only had one time of intimacy with each other, but it was enough for them to miss the pleasure intensely. She kissed back just as eagerly, not minding at all how close the three of them were, with Barsad practically crawling into her lap before she flopped back into her nest.

Still, as much as she loved kissing Barsad again, she wanted to make something clear. She pushed at his chest until he sat back, turning her head to look at Bane, whom she knew would be staring intently. “I said this all because…if you’re going to ask Barsad to be physically intimate with me, then I want you too.”

Bane’s brows lifted faintly in surprise. “I could hurt you, habibi.”

“But I know you won’t. You’ll be careful, won’t you?” She did her best to look sultry, or pleading, or something similar. She wanted him to feel just how much she wanted it, wanted him, and how she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“I do not have any protection here, habibi. I cannot promise you that-”

“We don’t need it. I don’t…I don’t want it. I won’t let you send me away when you’ll stay to burn. And anything that our intimacy may cause won’t have time to affect me. It’s fine. I want it. And you can…” A blush rose to her cheeks, making her look to Barsad for encouragement. “And you can finish inside me. I want you to. If…if you want me.” She was working off the assumption that he wanted her just as much, which was a little embarrassing. “I just thought maybe…”

“My brother’s cock would best prepare you for mine, I believe,” he cut in, his normally bright eyes dark, intense. “I will take you after him, then.”

“Oh. Yeah. Good.”

“Eager little bird,” Barsad cooed as he nuzzled her neck, flicking his tongue against her pulse. “So needy for the both of us.”

“I want to feel it all before I lose you in a month. Before we...” She didn’t want to think about her faltering mortality. She’d never considered her own death before, and she didn’t want to start thinking about it at that point. It was enough to live each day as it came. She would focus on that. It was the only thing she had influence over in this dumb, dying city.

“We’re here for you, little bird, we won’t get you go again.” He kissed over her shoulder, fingertips hesitantly drifting over her side. “Can I…”

“Yes.” She could worry about everything else afterwards. Turning, she ducked her head and kissed Barsad again, on her own initiative once more, feeling a hum of pleasure when he pushed into it.

It was already so different from that time on the couch, with the boy she couldn’t fully remember. Such warm kisses, only broken by whispered, adoring words and soft laughter…Barsad treated her like a treasure as he helped her pull off his clothes. He encouraged her to explore, guiding her hands over the countless scars over his body, telling her where they came from when she gave him concerned looks.

“This was from my brother, from Bane. When he beat me, he threw me against a wall. I clipped the corner and sliced my hip open, see?”

“Geezus.” She trailed her fingers over the pale mark, frowning. “He did an awful lot of damage, didn’t he?”

“I had to make sure he could recover from anything,” Bane rumbled, startling her into glancing over. She had forgotten he was there, for a moment. “It pained me, but it had to be done.”

“You didn’t know me then, brother. You had no reason to feel pain for punishing me. I killed so many of your men.”

“I could see the sadness in your eyes. If I had known…”

“Now is not the time, brother. But thank you.” Barsad nodded faintly, then smiled at her, resting a hand over his belt. “Come on, little bird, help me get naked for you.”

She was curious enough about that little exchange, but she made herself focus. If they wanted her to know, they would tell her. For now, she reached down and tugged at Barsad’s belt, undoing it with a few, clumsy movements. She supposed she should be nervous about bedding two terrorists, but she wasn’t. She felt a blush heat her cheeks when Bane untied her robe the rest of the way, but she didn’t curl, didn’t hide. They adored her because of how soft she was, so why feel shame about it?

Barsad kicked away his pants, laughing faintly when her eyes immediately snapped to his cock. “You have already seen it, little bird. You even had that lovely mouth on it…why so fascinated?”

“Because dicks are kind of horrifying to look at but also really…really lovely.” She reached out, cupping him in her palm, doing her best not to grin when he rutted forward, for only a moment. “They’re shaped weird and they drip and…somehow I find myself fantasizing about cocks. Had more than a few dreams about sucking you off again while we were apart…dreamed about what Bane’s cock might look like too.”

Barsad opened his mouth to say something, then paused, brow lifting. “How do you like dirty talk, little bird?”

“I’m unsure,” she replied honestly. “Give it a try and I’ll say if I like it.”

“Are you our precious little cockslut, then? Dreaming of nothing but the next time you’ll be pinned to the mattress and used up…” He pressed his hand to her shoulder, pressing her further back into the nest, leaning down to nuzzle at her neck. However, he paused suddenly, leaning back to fix her in his stare. “How’s that?”

“Perfect,” all came out in a rush, her eyes closing for a moment. “You’re good at it.”

The low thunder of Bane’s laugh startled them both into glancing over. “So cordial.”

“One must be proper when discussing someone’s kinks and desires, dear brother,” Barsad corrected, trying to hide a smile. “It is a very serious business.”

“Indeed it is. For shame,” Sep chimed in, not managing to be as proper as Barsad, needing to cover her giggle with her hand. “Tell us a desire of yours, Bane.”

He hummed faintly, leaning over so he could nuzzle at her cheek. “I want…I want to be able to taste you, habibi. I want to fuck you with my tongue until you forget how to speak…I want to show you just how sharp and skilled my tongue can be.”

Oral fixation indeed. She felt a thrill run up and down her spine at that, but… “I…that can’t happen, can it?”

Bane pulled back enough for her to see his saddened eyes. “Not without extreme pain on my part, but I would willingly bear it for you. However…I know you would not accept it, would you, habibi?”

“No,” she agreed sadly, “I would not. I wish you could though…” She reached up, touching his mask like that woman had, trailing a delicate touch over the coils and grate. “Not just for me, but for you too.”

“I know.” His eyes fell shut as he nuzzled her palm, heaving a sigh. “You are like that, habibi, selfless and giving, wanting to share pleasures and joys beyond the thought of yourself. You gave the last of a precious treat to a man you thought would harm you for the fun of it, and you protected men whose words could have brought forth a punishment most severe. You give so much, and you are willing to give your life for men who do not deserve it.”

“You deserve it!” She had a moment of regret for forgetting about Barsad, but Bane was here, and Bane…he needed her more, at the moment. “You showed me kindness from the very beginning. You…took me from my parents, when I didn’t know I needed to be taken. You let me read, let me forget for a few hours with you. You’ve restrained yourself and…” She reached down with her free hand, clasping his wrist, lifting it so she could nuzzle his palm as well. “You call me your beloved. I love when you call me that. I love being your beloved and Barsad’s bird and…I love being yours. If you send me away, I won’t be yours anymore. Because you’ll be gone and…” She closed her eyes tightly, fighting tears. “If you’re gone, you’ll never be able to call me your beloved again.”

“Habibi,” Bane fairly cooed, sweeping her against his chest, pressing his mask into her hair, attempting to soothe her shaking. “I have never met anyone as light as you, habibi. I could never leave you.”

“I don’t want that ‘I’ll be with you in spirit’ bullshit. I want to be able to actually hear it, want to feel you nuzzle and hold me and…I want…” Dammit, she didn’t want to cry every time she was intimate with them, but here it was, two for two. “Don’t send me away.”

“Interesting that she does not request for us to stop the bomb, brother,” Barsad pointed out, curious. “Do you not want to save Gotham, little bird?”

“No. Gotham can go fuck itself.”

“A thread of darkness in our light…she will do wonderfully at the league.” Bane rumbled out a chuckle, then lifted his head. “Take her from behind, brother. I want to see her as she comes undone.”

“Greedy,” Barsad said, but he sounded nothing but fond as he grasped her hips, shifting her up on her knees, so she knelt over Bane’s lap. His hand was gentle as he started to stroke her between her thighs, riling up her desire once more.

It was hard to meet Bane’s eyes, hard to meet the wealth of feelings that sang in those blue-grey eyes. Still, she made herself do it, made herself see him. She made herself keep his gaze as he cupped her cheek, as Barsad sank inside her and made her want to roll her eyes back in bliss.

“How does he feel, habibi? Is it all that you wish?”

“Feels good,” she sighed, slumping a bit in Bane’s arms. “Thick and hot and…” Her breath faltered when Barsad started moving, thrusting in with smooth movements, jostling her. Words started to fail, her breath coming ragged and hot.

“I adore you, habibi,” Bane whispered to her, only humming when she moaned. “I will not let you burn. You will join the league, and you will be a beacon to them. They will worship you, and look to you for guidance, for hope. You will be-”

“Stuff it,” she snapped, closing her eyes for a moment to really savor her pleasure. “I’m not going anywhere without you two.”

He sounded amused, but seemed to ignore her completely. “How does she feel, brother?”

“It has been too long…I don’t think I can last very long,” Barsad huffed, his hands shaking on her hips. “You will please her after?”

“If I can, yes. Make sure to-”

“I want him to come inside me,” she snapped out, lifting her gaze again, when she felt that she could bear it. “I told him he could, before I was taken. I want you too, want you to…” She bit her bottom lip, brow furrowing after a moment. “Oh geez right…like that, Barsad…”

Barsad bent over her back, one hand remaining on her hip, the other stroking over her belly, cupping a breast for a moment before sliding back down, calloused fingertips finding her clit and rubbing gently, making her gasp and moan louder. “Your pussy feels so good, little bird,” he whispered, beard scraping her shoulder. “You want me to fill you? Fill you with my seed?”

“Yes! God yes, Barsad…” She leaned down, glad for Bane bracing her, letting her be used up, letting Barsad pound into her like she’d been begging for it the whole time.

“You want to drip with me, don’t you? Drip and remember us for hours afterwards…our pretty little whore…”

Geezus. Her pleasure was building, but she doubted Barsad could make it that far. Might as well help him out. “I want your fat cock in me all the time, Barsad, want you to fuck me until I can’t walk, have you use me whenever you need me…feels so fucking good…”

Bane let out a pleased rumble, but it was nothing compared to the soft choking sound, then the drawn out moan as Barsad slammed in deep, shuddering as he came inside her. It took a moment before he pulled away, his hands shaking a little as they roamed over her hips and thighs.

“Good?” She asked with a soft laugh, looking over her shoulder at him.

“Breathtaking,” Barsad reassured her, managing a weak smile as he slipped two fingers back inside her. “You surprised me, little bird. And here I was trying to hold out for you.”

“I wanted to make you come, Barsad…and I didn’t want to be tired before I got to Bane,” she admitted, shrugging a little.

“Fair enough, little bird. I just hope I have you prepared enough for him.” He leaned down, spreading her thighs a bit more so he could lick over her swollen cunt, tasting himself in her and kissing her clit. Seeming encouraged by her soft moan, he continued his attentions, lapping against her eagerly.

“You still want me, habibi…did my brother’s cock not sate you?”

“Don’t tease,” she whined, dropping a hand to Bane’s lap, hesitating for a moment. “I want you inside me too.”

His look became almost sultry. “Speak to me as you did to my brother. I want to hear it.”

“I want you to fuck me, Bane, I want to feel you use me up and pump me so full of your cum that I can taste it in the back of my throat. Please Bane, I want you to-”

“Then touch me, habibi, and show no fear at what you find.”

Fair enough. It took some effort to remain on her knees well enough for Barsad to keep eating her out, but she managed enough so she could place both hands over the considerable bulge in Bane’s combat fatigues. It felt big enough already, but she made herself proceed, undoing his belt, peeling down the zipper, shuffling cloth aside enough for her to dip her hand in and pull his cock free.

All her imaginings were nothing compared to what she found. He definitely was proportionate, his cock thick and heavy in her palm. She marveled at how smooth the shaft was, how fat it was, the foreskin a tight fit over the head, but it still oozed pre easily. He was definitely bigger than her biggest toy back at home, big enough that her fingers couldn’t meet when wrapped around him.

“She stares so intently brother…” Bane’s voice had a faint tremor to it…nervousness? “What does it mean?”

“I’m staring at it because it’s so perfect,” she filled in carefully, cupping his cock with both hands. “It’s…fuck, it’s like every wet dream I’ve ever had.”

“You like it?” He sounded tentative, reaching up to touch her cheek. “Feel free to back out-”

“No way. I need to feel this inside me. Like…right now.” Despite her words, she eased down, licking her lips before kissing the head, tasting his salt. With a soft push, she slid his foreskin back enough to reveal the head better, the skin so flushed with desire it thrilled her. She kissed there too, swiping her tongue against the slit, only to be surprised with a thick glob of pre spilled at her lick. It made her giggle faintly, licking again, taking in the bitterness, the salt, and not caring. There was just so damn much of it that she had to slip the head into her mouth, her jaw aching immediately, but not caring. She lapped and suckled, gulping down every bit of pre he produced, savoring it.

“She drinks of me,” Bane marveled, a hand resting in her hair. “Like she thirsts.”

“Give her more,” Barsad rumbled suddenly, sitting up, pressing over her. “Give her more to drink.”

“I do not wish to-”

“She will take it. Give it to her.” Barsad’s hand joined Bane’s in her hair, and after a moment, she realized that he was pinning her there, trapping her.

With good reason. Bane showed a moment’s regret in his eyes before he cupped himself, brow furrowing until…

Only for Bane, she told herself, as the sharp taste met her tongue. Only for Bane would she swallow, brow furrowing at what she had fallen to. She would never do this for anyone else, or so she told herself as Barsad started to rut his still soft cock against her.

“Oh gods, look at her drink,” he whispered, watching with absolute rapt attention. “She suckles like you are but a fine wine, brother.”

“Filling her in any way possible is exquisite,” Bane groaned, hips grinding upwards as the flow started to trickle off. “She adores us.”

“She must, to let us do this to her.” Barsad drew her back, grinning when she coughed a little. “Did you enjoy your little drink?”

She refused to answer that. She didn’t want to acknowledge the heat that seared through her at the thought of her just…it was so demeaning, and yet so wonderfully good. God, what wouldn’t she do for them?

“She must be ready now. Come, get undressed. I ache to see you fuck her, brother.” Barsad drew her back against him, so she sat up, exposed for Bane to see. “Show her your strength, brother.”

Bane rumbled faintly as he shifted, pulling off armor and clothing, tossing it out of their nest until he was just as naked as the rest of them. She couldn’t help but stare at his bulk, his muscles, and at his cock so thick it couldn’t even get fully erect, hanging slightly as it dripped pre. She even found herself marveling at the heavy sac that hung between his thighs, eager for him to pump her full and have her.

“I will have her ride me,” Bane offered, settling back once more. “So she can decide how much to take…so I do not harm her.”

“Fair enough. Come, little bird, let him fill you.”

She let out a pathetic sound as she slid forward, out of Barsad’s grip so she could straddle Bane’s lap, reaching down to cup his cock, lifting it a bit better. At his concerned look, she just shook her head. “I’m excited. I bet you feel amazing.”

“Find out for yourself, habibi.”

It took her full attention to steady him right, pressing down over the head of his cock. He was so wide, so broad that she started to feel the ache of the stretch almost immediately, but she didn’t want to stop. She didn’t care about the burn, whining faintly as she pressed down, brow furrowing. She knew she could take it, knew his heft would be amazing once it was inside...but she just had to actually get him inside. She couldn’t look up, couldn’t bear to take her focus away from taking Bane inside, stretching herself broad around his cock-

And then the head breached her, and her startled gasp echoed her legs giving out, and she sank down without pause. All at once, she was sitting completely in his lap, his cock so massive inside her, throbbing, pulsing inside her and all she could do was wail.

“Habibi,” Bane gasped, reaching out for her. “Oh gods, I have-”

“No, brother,” Barsad cooed, pressing up behind her, cupping her breasts with both hands. “Look at her eyes. She feels pleasure from it…no pain.”

He was right. It was like taking the knot of that one massive dildo of hers. It was overwhelming in the best way, like cold fire in her veins as she sobbed, tears springing to her eyes. She could feel him entirely, feel his cock twitch inside her, so thick and huge that she marveled at her own body.

“Fuck me,” She gasped out, unable to think of anything else. It was in her now. She wanted him to take her. That was it.

“Habibi,” Bane groaned as he gripped her hips, lifting her just enough so he could thrust upwards.

And nothing would ever feel better. She wailed again, hands snapping to cover his, holding on as he thrust up into her with such force she felt her breath knocked out of her every time. He slid easily, perfectly, his cock so thick that there was no denying him rubbing over her gspot, over everything. Her eyes had to be glazed with tears and bliss, her face flushed, a mess of sweat, and maybe even a little spit as another moan made her forget swallowing was a thing.

“She loves your cock, brother. Look at her, such a mess over you.” Barsad’s hands tightened over her breasts a bit. “Fuck her harder. Take her, brother…she needs it.”

On some unspoken communication, Barsad moved aside so Bane could surge forward, shifting positions and forcing her onto her back underneath him, his hips snapping forward harder, faster into her, the obscene slap of skin on skin only making her pleasure better.

She never thought someone so big and strong and amazing would ever want to fuck her, but here was Bane, the epitome of strength, taking her as his own, his breath a ragged rasp behind his muzzle, his eyes trained on her face. It was the way he watched her that made her pleasure flare hot in her belly, made her arch and sob.

She writhed, wailing out loudly as it built and built until she finally came, muscles clamping down tight around that impossibly large shape inside of her, wringing out her orgasm. Bane’s breath hitched, but he kept moving, kept pounding in until she whined from sensitivity.

“Don’t worry, habibi, I will still give you what you crave,” he cooed, gripping her hips, lifting them so he could continue to fuck her at a new angle, driving deep, deep inside her over and over again. He arched back a bit, head tipped back in bliss as he moved, fucking her until a loud growl rumbled from his chest, his cock slamming in deep and-

She felt it. She felt the hot pulses inside her, his seed, all his seed pumping inside her. The feeling made her wail again, a hand snapping over her belly in shock. She could feel all of his cum filling her, so much of it it was making her dizzy. He just kept grinding his hips in, his breath more of a pant than anything as he kept filling her.

“How is it, little bird? Everything you wanted?”

“More,” she gasped, head lolling to the side. “I want more…”

He laughed, damn him, as he slid his hand down her belly to finger her clit, rubbing in slow circles. “He has yet more to give, little bird. Don’t doubt his pleasures.”

Indeed he did have more to give. It seemed as though his pulses finally slowed, only for him to pull out and roll her over, lifting her to her knees again. She couldn’t even sob as he sank back inside her, letting out the faintest whine as a hand pressed to the blankets next to her head, as he started to fuck her again.

It was brutal, almost violent the way he fucked her, slamming in deep each time, jolting her hard. Still, within another ten minutes of him fucking her, he growled again, slamming in and spilling more, yet more inside her.

“Oh fuck,” she sobbed, clawing the sheets. “Oh god I’m going to come again, I’m…”

“From what, little bird? What pleases you?”

“I’m going to come from all his seed in me,” she whimpered, turning her head to look at Barsad with hazy eyes. “Gods, you weren’t kidding…”

“I would never exaggerate,” Barsad reassured her, reaching down again to rub her clit, faster this time. “Let your orgasm come, little bird…it draws his seed deeper in you. Take more of it, little bird, take it all.”

She had to be so terribly loud as she came again, screaming and sobbing as her back jerked, driving her hips back against Bane’s hard, taking him as deep as possible. It made her woozy, made her only whine when Bane drew out and laid her on her side.

“Open your mouth, habibi,” was all she heard, and she obeyed, pleased when the softening head of Bane’s cock was slipped over her lips, as he milked the last few ropes of semen onto her waiting tongue. “You are breathtaking, habibi…and I do not deserve you.”

She whined, mindless, submitting meekly when she was drawn back and cradled, encased on both sides. She wanted to say something profound, something amazing but… “You two can…when I’m sleeping, I won’t mind if you fuck me more. You can…use me…”

Barsad and Bane both let out truly pathetic sounds, holding her even tighter.

She supposed absolutely filthy was just as good as profound, sometimes.


	6. Deception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joy in being reunited quickly melts away as the bomb ticks ever closer to the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention I like cliffhangers? I like cliffhangers. A lot.

She didn’t think it was possible to be disgusted and turned on at the same time, but there it was.

“Quit it,” Barsad huffed, swatting her thigh. “You’re making a mess.”

“Bane made the mess. I’m just having fun with it.” She grinned at Barsad, who was diligently trying to wipe her clean, but she found that it was much more fun to contract her muscles and force out another glob of semen for him to clean up. “Exactly what I wanted, mind you.”

“Fah.” Barsad tossed the filthy rag, grabbing up another one. “How do you feel?”

In truth, her back ached, her abs hurt, her hips throbbed from the too-tight grips of her lovers… “Perfect,” she sighed, flopping back into the blankets. She’d always wondered what it’d feel like to be thoroughly fucked…she thought it would take a group of men to wring this much exhaustion out of her, but no, all she needed was two. Let no one call her greedy, then.

“Good.” Barsad gave up, sitting back. “Feel like you can walk out and get breakfast?”

“Fuck no. I’ll be dripping the whole way. I’d like to just lay here for a while, thank you.”

Bane rumbled in agreement beside her, buried underneath blankets and pillows until only the top of his bald head showed. She smiled fondly, reaching over to tickle her fingers against the smooth skin, giggling when it earned her a huff and him disappearing completely.

“Lazy, the both of you,” Barsad scolded, turning to look for his clothes. “I suppose I can fetch food. You two can laze about for just a little while longer.”

“We shall laze about as long as we please,” Bane growled, voice muffled by mask and blanket.

“What he said,” she agreed, frowning. “Where’s the closest bathroom?”

“Over there.” Barsad managed to dress, stretching and arching his back when he was standing. He let out a faint groan of satisfaction before wandering off, leaving the room in relative quiet.

As content as she was to just lay there in peace, she also wanted to talk. Bane was still a mystery to her, and thought she had seen the whole ordeal unfold on the news…she wanted to know more, from Bane. It was what made her dig through blankets until she found a very grumpy Bane. “Hey.”

He grunted, his eyes peeling open slowly. “Yes, habibi?”

“Carry me to the bathroom. My legs won’t work.”

He sighed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, taking his time shifting and sitting up. “Anything for you,” he finally huffed, scooping her into his arms before rising from her nest, carrying her effortlessly to the bathroom. He even helped her open the toilet and sat her on it before leaning in the doorway, closing his eyes to doze.

Figuring drinking his piss last night was enough, she didn’t mind urinating while he was right there, then proceeded to just sit there and let his semen drip out of her for a while. Resting her chin on her hand, her elbow on her lap, she peered up at the beast. “Bane?”

“Mm?”

“Do you think maybe you could tell me a little about yourself?” She offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile when his eyes cracked open a bit. “I want to know more about you.”

He took his time about it, even reaching up to scratch at a spot on his jaw before nodding faintly. “Where would you like me to begin?”

“Wherever you think is best.”

“Very well. The early years of my life were served in a prison called the Pit. My father committed a crime, then promptly died, so they sent me to serve in his place. It was there that I learned that darkness would always be more powerful than the light. It was there that a woman and her child were forced to serve for their husband and father. It was there that I learned compassion, when I stepped in while the woman was attacked, and swept away her child before she could be killed as well. I protected her, and when the pit learned of her softness, of her womanhood, I pushed her to escape.” Bane’s eyes flicked away, his hand lifting numbly to touch his mask. “They tore into me, angered that they lost another woman to…use. They did damage that might have been repaired by a proper doctor, but down in the Pit…I wear the mask to hold back the pain, breathing in chemicals to keep it at bay.”

Pity sang through her, but she just swallowed hard, nodding faintly. “What happened to the child?”

His hand dropped, and he crossed his arms once more. “She found her father when she escaped. Turns out she was the daughter of the leader of the League of Shadows. She coaxed them to return, to kill those who had harmed her mother and I, and to take me away from there. The League trained her and I, made us more…but I was cast out.” He sighed, turning his head to look back out to the main room, but she knew he was avoiding making eye contact. “Her father did not like that I loved his daughter as my own. He regretted not being there for her, when I was. But he is dead, and she accepted me back…she guides us now, to carry out her father’s last intent.”

“To destroy Gotham.” She frowned, brow furrowing. “That woman yesterday…she was the child.”

“Yes. Her name is Talia.” He sighed, waving to her. “Are you finished?”

“Yeah, hang on.” She cleaned herself up and flushed the toilet, sighing when he cradled her close to take her back to their bed. She even helped Bane bury himself once more, but she kept his head exposed, to make their conversation more personal. “That’s a lot to deal with, Bane.”

He rumbled, reaching out to clasp her hand. “It is bearable now, with you. The pleasure you gave me last night made me forget it all, for a time. That is more than I could have asked for from anyone.”

“You deserve it all and more, Bane. And I mean that. I really do.”

He seemed to pause, looking over her face slowly. “Even if I still burn Gotham to the ground?”

“Gotham is full of criminals and worse. Gotham won’t be missed.” She sighed, tucking herself into his arms, settling in. “I’m choosing to only care about the present, between you and me. And Barsad.”

“I’d hope you’d remember me,” Barsad said brightly, with impeccable timing, striding in with a tray. “Everyone still feeling fine?”

“Better now that you’re back, she said fondly, flushing at the brilliant grin that earned her. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Our sister was quick with her supplies. Today, we have sausage with our oatmeal, but I fully intend to give you my full serving…as have a few of the men.” Kicking off his boots, Barsad carefully balanced the tray as he sank back into the nest. “Apparently a little bird sang sweet enough for all of city hall to hear.”

“Oh my god.”

“They wish to give you proper energy to recover from your ordeal, apparently.” Barsad looked as though he was enjoying it entirely too much. “There will be no denying it this time.”

“Oh my god no,” she whined, covering her face with her hands. “Did I sound terrible?”

“You sounded wonderful. I have never seen anyone look as wonderful as you when you come undone.” He offered up her bowl of oatmeal, which was made up to be more savory this time, with her sausage cut up into it. “Eat up. We can’t have our little bird losing all her softness.”

It was hard not to smile with that reasoning. She accepted the bowl as she sat up, wasting no time digging in. She really was terribly hungry from all that exertion. Bane lazily rested a hand on her back, rubbing in slow circles while she and Barsad ate, seemingly half asleep again.

Lazy beast indeed.

When her belly was pleasantly full, she laid back again, giggling when she was pulled into Bane’s embrace immediately. As nice as it would have been to simply submit and cuddle for a while, there was too much going on. “So you said you would mark me. I’m not going to leave you, but I am curious as to what this mark will look like.”

“It will be a combination of the mark from the League, Barsad’s mark and my own. It will be complex, yes, but it will show whom you belong to. In the end, I hope you’ll adapt it and add your own mark to it, but it will do for now.” Bane sighed, turning his head a bit to look at Barsad. “I suppose I can’t spend an entire day in bed, can I?”

“Not this close to the end, brother, I’m afraid not.”

“Sleepy old bear,” she cooed fondly, grinning when she got an indignant grunt in response. “So how will you be marking me?”

“It will be a scar, little bird. We will have to carve it into you.”

Oh. Well. No. Her eyes widened at that, scooting away. “That’ll hurt.”

“Knives usually do, habibi,” Bane huffed as he climbed out of the nest, fetching clothes to wear. “We will be gentle.”

“You can’t be gentle with knives.”

“On the contrary. Please, little bird…I can try and see if we have any numbing spray. It won’t get rid of all the pain, but it will help.”

“Fine. Where are you going to put the mark?”

“Somewhere where it can be easily seen. We will give you a few options.” Barsad stood and wandered off once more, leaving her and Bane alone for a while longer.

She got up awkwardly, managing to stand on the shakiest legs ever so she could stumble over to him, leaning heavily against him. “You won’t send me away, right?”

“If you do not wish to leave, habibi, I will not force you. I would never force you to do anything.”

“You forced me last night when you-”

“Barsad’s idea,” Bane cut in, looking down at her. “Did you not enjoy it?”

“Well…yes, but that’s not entirely the point. I just…like the idea of be owned and used up, you know?” She blushed at the curious expression that flickered over Bane’s face. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you went in my room but I doubt you found that leather collar I had stored away.”

“Ever have use for it, or…”

“Hopeful. I was just…hopeful. I dunno. I don’t think I would have trusted some rich guy to dominate me. Probably would have gotten off on choking me.”

He reached up, trailing the backs of his fingers over her throat. “Don’t like choking?”

“Not…really.” Oh. “Some slight pressure is okay but I still need to be able to breathe or I go full panic attack.”

He hummed, his hand shifting and closing around her throat, squeezing slightly. “How does this feel?”

She swallowed hard, feeling the faint click of her throat having less room to deal with. “G-ood,” she whispered, reaching up to touch his wrist. “You…”

“I have always wanted a pet,” he murmured, his thumb rubbing slowly over her pulse point. “I witnessed such things in the pit; men who crawled like dogs for another man, who sat by his side and had his hair stroked fondly, reveling in the attention of his master… And then I was caught up in too much to pursue the thought.” His hand slid from her throat, cupping her cheek carefully. “Perhaps you would like this?”

“I would love that.”

“I hope that I will have time this evening, to try this with you. I know there is much to be done today…do you mind being here alone?”

“I’m sure I can manage.” She sighed, pressing into Bane’s arms just as Barsad returned with the needed supplies. “I won’t like it, but I’ll manage.”

She also found that she didn’t like the marking process. Because no matter how much they sprayed her, it still fucking hurt.

“Hush, habibi, you are doing so well.”

“It fucking hurts,” she sobbed, pressing her face into Bane’s chest even harder.

“Try not to move. We want this to be perfect.”

Bane and Barsad took turns carving into the back of her neck, and when that was done, they rubbed something into it, to stain it, to make sure it scarred visibly. Worse yet, they decided they wanted to mark her in more than one place, so it could be seen. But it was just what they wanted.

“What do you want, habibi? Do you want it to be visible for all?”

Adrenaline still sang through her blood, making her shiver, eyes wide and a bit wild. “I…sure, yeah. Where else were you thinking?”

“Your arms, your legs…I want people to know you are ours from all sides.”

She was already suffering enough as it was. Might as well go for it.

It was how she ended up sitting prone as they carved her up. Down her arms, down her legs, up her spine, over the center of her chest. It burned, she bled, and she cried despite their cooing and petting.

“Almost done, little bird. Only one more place to mark.”

“Where?” She whimpered, hiccupping through her tears. She flinched for a moment when Bane reached up, shaking when he trailed his fingers over her cheekbone. “My face?”

“It will be so delicate. It will only lend more to your beauty.” Bane’s touch smeared her own blood over her skin, but his eyes were alight with such a fire. Almost fanatic. He wanted to mark her, wanted everyone to know that she was his…she supposed that was okay. She was his, was theirs, and what was a few more scars? When she nodded a little, his eyes crinkled at the strength of his grin. “The League will shudder with envy every time they see you. They will wish they could taste of you…but they will know a goddess walks among them.”

She had to be held still for her face, with one of them bracing her head as the other trailed the knife over her skin, cutting her, marking her, making sure it scarred.

“Habibi,” Bane whispered reverently, pressing his mask to her brow as Barsad bandaged her. “You will be a shining light to all.”

“I’m not leaving you,” she had to insist, eyes closing. “Mark me all you want, but I’m burning up with you.”

He just rumbled, breathing out slowly over her skin. “What if you carry our child? Will you let it burn?”

Oh. Her throat grew tight, her hands moving to her belly. “I…I’ve never wanted kids. So I sure as shit won’t raise one alone, you bastard. If I have a kid, it’ll be with you and Barsad, where we can all raise it. But since that won’t happen, I don’t have to worry about it. So don’t bring it up.”

“My mistake,” Bane sighed, sitting back. “It was wrong of me to bring up.”

“Damn straight.”

Barsad wiped his knife clean as he set it aside, heaving a sigh of his own. “It would be nice though, to have a family again.”

Sadness sang through her heart at those words.

Of course Barsad had a family once.

Of course.

++++++

Near constant sex does manage to toughen up muscles, apparently.

Whenever Bane and Barsad weren’t busy, either one or both of them were using her up. She loved it terribly, really, and it was everything she could ever want.

But it wasn’t enough.

She knew their time was counting down, coming to an end, ending far too soon for her liking. She knew she was going to die soon, and it terrified the hell out of her. Would she feel the fire? Would Bane and Barsad be there when it detonated? Or would she die alone, finding her end crying, scared, abandoned? She didn’t want to think about it, but it was always there, always on her mind the more days passed. It was too much to bear, her heart always thundering away, her breath short, sleep eluding her.

No matter how much they kissed and held her, she knew the fear. She didn’t want to talk about it. She didn’t want to die, but she was going to. She was prepared.

Kind of.

“Habibi, you have not touched your food.”

“Mm? Oh. Right.” She looked down at her oatmeal, hands numb. “I…I can’t. Sorry.” She set down the bowl, swallowing hard. “How is the city faring?”

“It’s surviving.” Bane sat back, breathing out slowly. “The city is strong.”

“Good. Good.” She bit her lip, hand drifting to the bandage on her chest. “You two have more duties in the city?”

Bane’s eyes flickered over to Barsad’s, and they were silent for a time. “Yes. We need to move base again.”

“Mm? We do?”

“Yes. We are moving to one of the taller buildings. We believe that as the time draws near, that we will be attacked soon, a last, desperate attempt to fight the inevitable. It will be safer to be further off the ground, to take more time.” Bane reached out, cupping her jaw. “We will place your nest in a proper tree, habibi.”

“Oh. Okay.” She turned her head, nuzzling into his palm a bit. “When are we moving?”

“Today, I believe. We will be using the cars as transportation for our supplies, so I have another idea for getting you to our new home.” He rose slowly, grunting as his joints creaked audibly. “Come, let us get a few things packed for you to have while we get everything moved over.”

“Okay.” She rose as well, trailing after him as he grabbed a bag, plucking up her few personal items, stuffing them away. She felt numb besides her fear of death, as if she felt the flames already, searing her raw, less than human. Like being on death row.

Barsad started to follow after as well, resting his hand on her lower back, his heat leeching through her shirt. “Your nest will be just as wonderful, little bird. Would you like to pack up your blanket with you?”

“Yeah…” She was fond of her knitted blanket. It was softer than the rest and Bane had made it for her. It made it even more special, more important…if she wanted to burn up with any personal items, the blanket was one of them. She watched as Barsad bundled it up, as Bane tucked away her few clothes and books. “How long?”

Bane slowed, breathing out slowly. “Tomorrow.”

So soon? She wavered, swallowing hard. “Okay. Tomorrow. Right.” She shifted from foot to foot. “Were you going to tell me, if I hadn’t asked?”

“No,” Bane admitted, zipping the bag shut before picking up his heavy jacket. “You seem frightened enough.”

Of course she was. She didn’t want to die. She wanted to stay with Bane and Barsad and live happily but…she had no illusions of grandeur, didn’t believe she could change their hearts. They were set. She just came in to their lives at a bad time. She ducked her head as Bane placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her through the hall. Barsad trailed after, almost like a guilty child…she supposed he didn’t want to move either.

At the base of the steps of city hall, a helicopter sat, waiting. “It will be safest to fly you to your roost, little bird,” Barsad said softly, stepping up beside her. “The streets are not safe.”

“Okay.” She turned, smiling as best she could up at them. “You’re coming with me?”

“We need to help the preparations, habibi. You will fly with a few of my men, and they will help you.” Bane handed over her bag, then draped his massive coat over her, tucking it close. “I hope to find you nestled and waiting when we get there.”

She nodded faintly, clutching her bag tight. “I’ll do my best.”

“We know you will, little bird. We know you will.” Barsad moved forward, pulling her into his arms. “I love you, Sep, my little bird. Very much.”

“I love you too,” she whispered back. “I love you, Barsad.” She tilted her head up for his kiss, smiling a little. He returned the smile, but it wavered, his eyes wet. When she reached up, brushing his tears away, he turned his head into it, kissing her palm over and over. “See you soon?”

“Very soon, my love,” Barsad reassured her, then stepped away.

Bane moved in immediately, drawing her in for an embrace that she felt from head to toe. So warm, so soothing, she had to melt into it, eyes closing. “I never thought I would love someone like you, habibi. You filled a place in my heart I did not know was empty. I thank you for it.”

“I love you, Bane. Thank you for showing me such kindness…” She hiccupped slightly, fighting tears.

“I love you, habibi.” He submitted meekly when she reached up, letting her kiss his mask. “I will see you again shortly, when we meet in your nest.”

“I know. I just…yeah.” She swallowed hard, nodding a little. “Okay. I’ll…okay.” Clutching her bag tight, she turned, heading for the helicopter as it started to power up. A man inside helped her climb in, strapping her into her seat before shutting the main doors. She didn’t like helicopters, but if they thought it was best…

She turned to look out the window, forcing a smile as she saw Bane and Barsad watching her, standing on the steps. Barsad smiled back, waving a little before covering his mouth with his hand. Even from this distance, she could see tears in his eyes, and even Bane…Bane’s eyes were wet as he watched. She didn’t understand it. If none of them wanted to die, then why couldn’t they just…

City Hall was calm, like the first day she had arrived there. The men stood on the steps, no one was packing anything.

They weren’t moving.

They lied.

“No!” She screamed, clawing at the latch at her hip. “No don’t you fucking do this! No!” Her guard lunged, pressing her back into her seat with his body, keeping her from getting free. “Get off me! Get the fuck off me! No! Bane! Barsad!”

As the helicopter lifted away, she saw Barsad turn and tuck his face against Bane’s arm, his shoulders shaking hard. And Bane just watched, watched as she gained more and more distance.

All she could do was scream. She screamed, cursed, raged at the guard, at everyone as the helicopter carried them out of the city, away from danger. Away from them. When her throat grew hoarse with screams, she sobbed so hard she threw up. When that failed her, she clawed at her bandages, at the healing wounds underneath, but her guard pinned her arms down, stonily silent as she grieved.

She didn’t want to survive, not without them. She wanted…she wanted all three of them, together, wherever that may be, but instead she got cast away, being sent to the League most likely. They tricked her into surviving. She didn’t want to. She didn’t…

“How could you do this?” She rasped, glaring at her guard. “I wanted to…I needed to die with them. There’s nowhere else for me.”

“There is the League, ilahah. It is where they wanted you to be. You will do well there.”

“I don’t want to do well there. I don’t…I want to be with them!”

“They don’t want you there! Be loyal to them and do as they wished. If they saw fit to send you to the League, then you have no other choice. We will not take you back, and taking your life another way would do them no good. Live on at the League. Be what they say you can be, ilahah.”

She slumped back in her seat, staring up at the ceiling of the helicopter, feeling sick with grief, sick with betrayal. She hadn’t considered killing herself, but…she just wanted to sleep for weeks. How dare they make her care about them? Why couldn’t they have used her like she thought they would have and just made her hate them?

“All is not lost, ilahah,” The guard sighed as she slipped back into his own seat. “You will not forget them, and they will live on with you.”

Her gaze dropped to his boots. “You don’t judge me for loving them? You knew them as fierce warriors, to be feared…and you don’t think I’m stupid for wanting to die beside them?”

“How could I? They loved you just as dearly, and that strengthened them.” The guard reached forward, carefully peeling off the bandages that covered her wounds. “I have seen the writing when you let the wounds air, at city hall. All have seen what they felt for you. No one could judge something so pure.”

She let out a curious sound, looking at the etching in her skin. “What does it say?”

“Lovesick descriptive words, claims of violence if you are harmed, possessive marks, their names…your scars tell many stories already, ilahah.”

“That. What are you calling me?”

The guard pointed at a carving that she saw repeated in a few places. “Ilahah. It means ‘goddess’.”


	7. Chamber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darkness lend its strengths to any who seek to suffer it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are my summaries annoying yet? I think they're annoying. And yet i keep writing them. Someone stop me.

She didn’t know true grief until they received a radio message that the bomb detonated. She needed to be guided from the helicopter when they landed, transferred over to a new plane. She shook and cried in her seat for much of it, curled up in Bane’s coat. The guard coaxed her into eating something at some point, telling her stories of the League as she mechanically chewed at the crackers he handed her.

“The League is a mixing of men and women from all over the world, all beautiful and wonderful in their own way. I was there when your Bane arrived. He was bleeding, more beast than man…and when they put that mask on him, he became a god to us. He was powerful, intelligent, as merciful as he was brutal. I looked up to him, and I marveled as he bested all men. When he was cast out, the League became empty, weaker…but his return was even better. He brought with him Barsad, the sharpest sniper had I ever seen.”

“Barsad had a family once, didn’t he?” She accepted the bottle of water carefully, her throat rough, painful.

The guard sat back, nodding faintly. “Yes. A wife and child.”

“What…where are they?”

“Barsad met Bane because he sniped many of his men…he told you this, yes? Barsad does not snipe for sport.”

She didn’t think he would. But the way he said it… “What happened?”

“Bane’s men were not always so loyal and pure as they are now.” The guard’s gaze dropped, his hands reaching out to touch the bracelet on her wrist. “And Bane could not always keep them in line…”

“Oh my god.”

The guard nodded faintly, patting the loops. “Barsad just wanted to take out those men who had hurt him. He let himself get caught because he was certain that he was finished with his work. Bane gave him new purpose. Bane saved Barsad. I had never seen a pair so true as those two…I did not think a pair could be built on.”

Her throat tightened, her head shaking before she realized what she was doing. “Don’t. I don’t want to…”

“You gave the two of them peace, ilahah. Bane was tame around you, and Barsad found more reasons to laugh around you. The words on your skin…they adored you.” The guard reached up, touching the word that curved under her eye. “Ilahah, goddess.” His hand shifted over, touching the other. “Malika, queen.”

“Oh god.” She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. “I’m sorry I…what’s your name?”

“Kojo. I admired Barsad and Bane very much. It is an honor to be able to care for their ilahah after their mission was completed.”

“Fuck.”

“I will care for you at the League, in their names. I will not let you drown, ilahah.”

The League was more surprising than she thought it would be, a true temple on the very top of a snowy mountain. The plane landed on a tiny cliff face, and she had to duck her head against the wind and the snow, shielded by Bane’s coat and Kojo, who guided her with a hand on her back.

As soon as they reached the steps, the wind was cut off by the angle of the mountain, making it easier to climb. “You must be strong, for them,” Kojo told her, glancing up at the shadowy door. “Make them proud of you. Face this with hope, with pride, and they will live on in your strength.”

She started to wonder about his strange warning until they stepped into the temple, and she was struck with how dark and threatening it appeared. She didn’t know what to do, especially when Kojo stopped walking. “I…what now?”

“You are being observed, ilahah. These warriors here do not know who you are. Show them.”

“Show them?”

“Your marks. Show them.”

Oh. She shuffled forward on her own, slowing and finally stopping in the middle of the room. She could feel the eyes on her, could feel them watching her like she was a fresh piece of meat. With all her marks…she shrugged off Bane’s coat, dropping it to the floor. She shook as she pulled off more and more of her clothes, eventually standing bare in that cold, cold room. All her bright red scars, still settling, exposed for everyone to see. It was all she had, all she had to show.

It was enough.

After a moment of stillness, two women strode forward. They picked up Bane’s coat, draping it on her shoulders once more. They then stood on either side of her, like guardians, as a man strode from the shadows.

His skin was dark, but his eyes were like gold as he looked her over. It was hard to keep her head lifted under such a gaze, but she had to be strong. For them. She made herself stare back, made herself stay strong.

“Ilahah, malika…so many claims of strength and grandeur on your skin. I wonder how many of them you know.” The man lifted his hand, touch hovering over the one in the center of her chest. “And here, beneath our Bane’s own mark…habibi-”

“Don’t you fucking say that word,” she snapped, snacking his hand away. “I only ever want to hear that word from him.”

The man chuckled, bowing slightly. “Who called you that? Bane?”

She reached up, trailing her fingertips over the mark on her chest. He even marked it there, so it would always be with her. She would always hold his love. “Does…do any of these markings call me a bird?”

“Here. Taa’iraat. Who called you that?” His head tipped to the side, a hum rising from his throat. “Ah, our sharp eye, our Barsad.” He nodded faintly, stepping back so he could clasp his hands behind him. “You come to us with their praise and claims of power, of purity, of life. We honor our fallen leader, respect his word greatly. But you could have placed those marks there on your own.” That was a load of bullshit, and they all knew it, but she was sure he had to put on some kind of show. “Prove to us that his words are laden with truth.”

Geezus. What was she supposed to do? There was literally nothing special about her.

Or…well, she shouldn’t have to prove herself. Bane was their god, right?

She lifted her chin, managing a sneer. “I don’t need to prove myself to you, or to anyone. I didn’t need to prove myself to Bane or Barsad. They saw something in me that made them believe I could be something glorious to the League. They saw a light that made them believe I could heal like no other. I intend to do that here.”

The man stared at her for a long time before his expression softened, his voice lowering. “You have been strong enough, ilahah. We will train you. You will not let them down.”

His eyes dropped, feeling a tremor come to her lips. “Thank you.”

“Come. Let us get you settled.”

The baths were surprisingly decadent, and it made her a little glad that she apparently needed help. The two women helped scrub her down, washed her hair, oiled her skin. They brought her soft cotton clothes, and took her to a rather large bedroom, with a large bed covered with blankets and cushions. It started to seem eerily familiar and-

“This was our leader’s room,” the man said, coming up beside her. “Bane’s. It will be yours now.”

“I…who will be leader? Shouldn’t they get this room?”

“That is something to worry about at a later date, ilahah. For now, settle, relax…grieve.” He touched her arm lightly, offering a smile when she looked over. “I am Abdul-Hamid, ilahah. I will oversee your training, your comfort here as well. Call for me whenever you need me, and I will be there.”

When she was alone, she found her bag, pulling out Bane’s knitted blanket, collapsing in a heap in the bed. She hated that it smelled like the two of them, she hated that she hated it. She hated that, in time, the smell would fade and they would be nothing but a memory.

And she mourned.

She cried until she vomited, she screamed, she lay in numb pain…she doubted her emotions, of course, doubted if she had any reason to be so sad about people she knew for only a few months, but they were her whole life in those months. They treated her so beautifully and they were the first to ever have done so. She was certain no one would ever be like them, no one would ever love her the way they had. Why could she never believe the way she felt? Why couldn’t she just…

“Ilahah, you must eat.”

“Leave me alone,” she groaned, pressing down lower into her blanket. “I don’t want to eat.”

“Eat. We have left you to mourn for two days and three nights. You must eat, and train. You will do yourself harm if you stay in here.”

“I want to stay in here.”

“You’re being a child.” He reached out, touching her shoulder through the blanket. “Did you ever act this way with the two of them?”

Most definitely, not that she would admit it. She took her time sitting up, scowling at the golden eyed man. “How will you train me, then?”

“Eat.”

She looked down at the bowl in his hands, eyes widening. “It’s…”

“Kojo informed me of what they fed you on a regular basis. I thought it would be best to give you something familiar.” He nodded to it. “It is not quite the same, but it is the best I could do.”

“It’s…fine. Thank you.” She accepted the bowl, picking up the spoon, poking at the porridge. It was an effort to start to eat it, but once the warmth hit her tongue, she found herself extremely hungry. It was soothing, to have the heat filling her belly, and it made her feel more human. Centered again.

He watched her eat for a time, hands folded in his lap in peace. When her consumption of his meal was no longer as entertaining as it had been, he looked around the room, lingering on her blanket, and the coat she had been cradling. “The League has come to the belief that all humans hold a latent ability within them, ilahah. Through study, we have found that long periods of darkness can unlock intense abilities that seem to exceed human capability. In Bane, it unlocked a strength that we have never seen. In Talia, a cunning that rivaled the most educated minds.” He gestured vaguely, shaking his head. “We tested others. They developed great strengths before passing on, unable to bear it. We believe we can cultivate this in you.”

Oh. Of course. She nodded faintly, poking at the remnants of her breakfast in the bowl. “Are you going to put me in the Pit?”

“Of course not. Bane would never allow such a thing. We have an isolation chamber. We will cast you into complete darkness, in water like the womb, and you will be reborn. We will see if the light Bane saw in you was true.”

Why the hell not? What did she have to lose? She settled the bowl in her lap, staring down at it. “How long will I stay in there?”

“Until you can get yourself out on your own. Or…well, we will check on you in a week.”

“A week? I…” Why argue? “Okay. When?”

“As soon as you would like, ilahah. We are here to attend to you.”

He took the bowl from her, which suited her fine, since it allowed her to reach out for the coat, hugging it to her chest. “Abdul-Hamid, right?” When he nodded, she swallowed hard, nodding faintly. “Do you think I’ll survive?”

“Yes. Bane never approved of that chamber. I believe he wished for you to use the chamber. He became stronger from the darkness. I believe you will too.”

Not as reassuring as she would have thought it could be. She pressed her face into the warmth of the leather, sighing heavily. It was all too much for her, going from a plain life of rich decadence, to being cared for by two brutal terrorists, to…this. Responsibility, strength, pride, so much more than she ever had to deal with before. It sucked. She liked being Bane’s pampered little pet, cradled and stroked and occasionally made to do filthy things. She knew all that sex they had that last month was to distract her from her growing fear of death.

It had helped, though. Bane had been so delicate with her, stroking so adoringly at her skin, watching as he took her apart piece by piece. She forgot everything else when she had been tied, perched in Bane’s lap as Barsad had at her body. They’d used her up so thoroughly every chance they had, exhausting her until she could sleep at night. It absolutely wasn’t fair that they were taken away from her. No more of their love, their attention, their devotion…

“Today. I want to get in today. Something to do. Some way to forget.”

“Do not forget them, ilahah. They are a part of you. Need I remind you of your scars?”

She grunted, setting the coat aside. “Take me there. I don’t want to think about it.”

“As you wish.” He rose from the edge of her bed, waiting for her to follow. She took advantage of the time to look around at the temple as they went, admiring the architecture and the people they passed. It really was a quiet place, with people meditating, studying, even with training rooms for the warriors to train. Most remained focused on their task, but some paused to watch her passing. “They are curious about the Weeping Goddess that now lives within their home, that is all,” he said softly.

“Weeping Goddess?”

“Indeed. I imagine that is how they will continue to view you. You are marked as a goddess by our god, so to speak. And you weep for him, weep for his fall. There is no other way to view you. You are our goddess, and you weep. It makes perfect sense.”

“If you say so.” She ducked her head at the stares, clearing her throat. “What if I die in that chamber?”

“You will still be a part of our history. Bane made it so. You will be remembered.”

It was oddly soothing to know that. It made her calm down, just a little, as they started to descend a flight of stone steps. He picked up a lamp on the way, which was for the best as it got darker and darker the further they went down. It became heavy with the darkness, the air becoming thick with warmth and steam. Eventually the steps leveled out, coming to a low pool of water.

“Here is where you will stay until you can rise on your own. I pray you do not take more than a week. I…also pray that you do not die from this.”

She wasn’t sure if she could agree to that. She just undressed, handing over her clothes. With a careful step, she tested the water, her advance stopped by a hand on her shoulder. “Mm?”

“The bracelet.”

“No. It doesn’t come off. Ever.”

“It would be best if you are bare, ilahah.”

“Peachy.” She turned and continued climbing into the pool, finding it increasingly more concerning at how perfect the water felt. The temperature was so exact that her feet started to feel a little less like a part of her. Submerging herself, she turned and tried to float on her back, letting herself soak in the water, ease into it. “Now what?”

Silence. She lifted her head, trying to look for him, only to see the light disappearing up the stairs. Right. Darkness. She closed her eyes, if only so she couldn’t see the darkness around her.

And she waited.

Slowly, more and more sensation left her. She knew nothing but the warmth, so similar to her own, finally melting away into nothingness, being nothing but the water. It really was like the womb. Just…a lack of being. Alone with your own thoughts, in a void created by a lack of existence.

What was she even doing? She was in a strange land with people she didn’t know, in a temple made to train murderers. She wasn’t strong, had no way to defend herself if they decided to turn on her. Bane and Barsad’s carvings in her flesh were the only things that were keeping her alive. She had Kojo, who apparently respected Bane, and she had Abdul-Hamid, who she had no idea if she could trust. She was isolated, running on the hope that they would continue to respect a dead man’s beliefs.

Dead.

Gods, they were dead. Bane and Barsad were dead and gone and she just…she was left behind. Always left behind. She just wanted to go with them, burn up with them with that piece of shit city, be blasted away by their sides and finally not be alone. She was tired of being alone. She was alone in this temple, alone with strange people who thought she was some kind of goddess because Bane and Barsad said she was. But they were gone, would always be gone.

She would give anything to have them back, with her, hale and healthy and happy, with her. Was that so much to ask? Couldn’t she be selfish, really selfish, and get back what was taken from her? If only she could find them, find their remains and just…revive them. Bring them back, just as they were before. Such a wonderful gift, that would be, to bring someone back from the edge simply because she wished it. Healing someone with a wave of her hand…

If only. There were so many things she wished for. She wanted Bane and Barsad back, wanted to be in some nice, quiet place to live with them where they could dote on her as much as they pleased, wanted to just…she just wanted to be happy. She hardly knew those two, but she had a hard time thinking about being happy without them. Was she being ridiculous? She knew plenty of people managed to love and lose them, only to find someone else later and be just as happy. When she tried to think of finding someone new in her life, it just…it was hard. For years, she had been alone. For years, she was unable to find anyone to show even a passing interest in her. Being able to find someone, no, two people that treated her like a goddess?

She didn’t believe she’d find that again. She wasn’t lucky. She would never be lucky. Something…she wasn’t so lucky. She’d always believed karma would someday pay off, and it had, it really had. She had some time with two wonderful, beautiful men, and she supposed that was her karma paying off. And then she’d used up her points, and karma took them away.

Where would she find a man like Bane, who groaned like an old man in the mornings, but easily hefted hundreds of pounds of gear like it was nothing? Someone like Barsad, who had a wit sharper than the knives he juggled for her by candlelight one snowy evening? Someone who could knit a flower into a blanket for a soldier, only to rumble out a laugh and bow his head meekly when the soldier kissed his hand in thanks? Someone who could recite love poetry from memory, and yet marveled at any little thing she personally wrote or said to him? Someone with cloudy grey eyes that filled with such adoration and love when she arched under his touch, someone who’s smirk could set her aflame?

She wondered if she had been abnormally lucky, having two men like that. Strong, gorgeous men, loving and sweet and gentle, giving and…not one, but two. Two men.

Part of her wished everyone could have a chance to feel what she had felt in those few months. It was short, but it was intense. So intense, warm and encompassing and…being cradled between the two of them had felt like the most wonderful kind of cage. Cradled, protected, near worshipped. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could know what it felt like? Have some way to make people feel that, give everyone some way to just what it was like. She didn’t believe that there was someone out there for everyone, but she did believe that it was possible to give someone the feeling, just a taste.

Could herbs do that? Some way to mix medicines to cradle in love and comfort as it healed? Heal and give a love-high that… Calamus. Calamus could cause good cheer. Catmint could soothe and calm, damiana could give a slight sexual pleasure, wild lettuce could give light dreams…mix it all into a warm tea, make someone drink, then tend to the wounds. Yarrow to stop wounds from bleeding, garlic to kill internal parasites, snapdragon to reduce fever…she’d always liked plants, and plants were amazing. Plants could heal and make you feel good…

But she didn’t remember really studying this. She’d heard it once or twice, then forgotten about it. To really hear it, to remember it…it was…startling.

Bane always said she could be a healer. She could. The plants, she could study them and she could heal the people of the League.

Pain shot through her abdomen with such ferocity she arched out of the water like a dolphin, her mouth gaping wide in a silent scream. It made her sink under the water, making her flail and turn in an attempt to crawl out of the water, gasping. Her Pain continued to throb through her, making her weak. Fighting to stand did nothing, only making her gasp and collapse. A hand scrambled down, pawing down between her legs, only to feel thick heat.

Had to be blood.

Oh god.

She crawled towards the faint grey in the darkness, pleased when she found the stairs. Stomach cramping, only able to gasp and crawl, she could only hope that there was someone near the top to help her.

It felt like hours. Oh it hurt. But she could heal, could help…she could do this.

But the light could only be more blinding the further up she got. The darkness was warm, soothing. If it hadn’t been for the pain in her guts, she would have slid back down, stayed in the water, savored the darkness. She needed help. She needed to take care of the pain and…

“Ilahah!”

A shadow fell over her, someone reaching out and grabbing her arms. After all the warm water, after not knowing touch, his hands were like fire, making her finally be able to scream. They cursed and apologized as they helped her up, but it still burned, still throbbed.

“Tell me what you need, ilahah. What happened in the chamber?”

“Black haw, black cohosh, wild yam…bring them to me. Take me to my room, bring me those herbs. And food. Meat. Bring me meat. Lots of bloody meat.” She groaned, slumping as he fairly dragged her down the hallway. “Bowl of hot water. No, two bowls of hot water.”

“Yes, ilahah.”

And so she was left in the middle of her room, kneeling, bleeding down her thighs, slowly drying out from all the water. When she was brought what she wanted, she shoved some of the steaming meat into her mouth as she dropped the herbs into the tea, breaking them up so they could steep. The other bowl was used to wash her thighs and crotch, wiping away all the blood that she could. When the herbs steeped enough, she guzzled down the tea, continuing to eat like a starving beast.

It had been Abdul-Hamid that had helped her, it seemed, as he carefully knelt near her. He waited until she looked at him, and even then, he just bowed his head.

Hm. “How long was I down there?”

He breathed out slowly, nodding a little. “You were in there for seventeen days, ilahah.”

She choked, pawing for her tea to gulp down the blockage in her throat. “What? How…you said you would check on me!”

“I did, ilahah. You…did not notice?”

“Fuck. No. Did you come with night vision goggles?”

“No. I came with a full torch. You floated there, eyes wide and unseeing…I knew you were in a trance, ilahah. I did not dare disturb you.” He pressed his hand to his chest, bowing his head. “The darkness was clearly working its magic on you.”

She really should have died from it, all her skin sluffed off, and she really should be more concerned about it, but she found herself just staring at his hand. “You have arthritis?”

His brow lifted before he nodded faintly. “Yes?”

“Start taking eucalyptus and ginger tea every morning. It should help with the pain.”

“Oh?” He glanced down at her own her tea, a faint smile coming to his lips. “Did you always know of this?”

“Ah…no. It came after the…the chamber.”

He grinned, making her flush. “The chamber has lent you some strength, then. Knowledge?”

“I dunno. Maybe. But I feel like I can heal, be able to help the League.” She shrugged, picking at her meat now, just going slow. “Do you think I could?”

“I believe it, ilahah. Bane believed in you, and you must believe in you.”

She hummed, trying not to smile. He seemed so excited by it, smiling and fairly bouncing where he knelt. “Excited?”

“Yes. You are our goddess, and you will do well.” He paused, glancing down at his knees. “We do not believe you are a true goddess, just so you know. We do not see you as some heavenly being…we know you are human. Well, rather, the adults of the League do. The children, I am not so sure about, but that is fine. We will accept you as human, know your limitations, but you must be above the rest of us…especially as our healer.”

She nodded faintly, reaching over to touch his shoulder. “Well, I hope I don’t let you down.”

“You won’t. I know you won’t.”


	8. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For once in her life, she's actually useful, with many people seeking her. Kind of nice to be needed, eh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So one reader of mine (a friend hahaaaa) assumed that her healing abilities was supernatural powers, ya know? It's up to you to decide if what she can do it just a strange knowledge brought on by the chamber or if she may actually have a superpower now.

“Chamomile, child. You need chamomile.”

“Yes, oom.”

“Good boy.” She smiled, nodding to the boy until he shuffled off. Once she was alone, she turned back to grinding down her dried herbs, working steadily. The finer the powder, the easier it was to use in her atomizers. The little canisters on her wrists sprayed the herbs in a fine, breathable mist, which she would carefully pass over her patient to soothe, calm, numb, and then she would tend to their wounds while they drifted in the warm embrace of her herbs.

Some of the League started to compare her care to be cradled in the arms of a long lost lover, or by a mother long forgotten, which pleased her. They were eager for her treatments, bowed to her, called her mother, queen, goddess, even moon. She was respected, looked up to. It was comfortable.

“I found those flowers you asked for, ilahah.”

“Thank you, Kojo.” She smiled at him, laying her hand over his own for a moment. “I hope you didn’t strain too hard, climbing those cliffs.”

“It was worth it, if only to make you smile,” he teased, ducking his head a little. “Any of us would scale any mountain for you.”

She tsked, patting his hand before turning back to her grinding. “I wouldn’t ask that. You know I’d prefer it if you all stay here, safe in the temple.” Some of them had to go off and do missions, assassinate people that needed to die. As much as she didn’t agree with killing people, it had to be done, sometimes.

“Ilahah? Do you ever regret it?”

She had to pause, unable to look up. She didn’t know what had caused it, really, but being in that chamber… She had been pregnant, had been carrying Bane and Barsad’s child, but she…it was lost. With a faint sigh, she shook her head. “No. I’m no mother to anyone. I would never raise a child well. If anyone would want that child, it would have been them. I won’t care for something that won’t receive all the proper care it deserves.”

Kojo nodded faintly, clasping his hands together. “So you would never wish to try again.”

Oh. She glanced over, trying hard not to smile. “And who would dare volunteer for such a thing if I ever decided to try and have a baby?”

“Abdul-Hamid would certainly step forward. I believe I could…possibly try as well.” He cleared his throat, reaching up to stroke his hand over her back, her hair there. “You have become even more lovely, ilahah. I admire you, so very much.”

Three months, and she had let her hair remain loose in waves, besides the side of her head. She had shaved that bare, a sort of homage to Bane, to his perfectly groomed appearance. She’d taken to wearing flowing, white clothes, sweet and innocent looking. Everyone seemed to respond to her more when she was dressed like some kind of angel, pure and clean and graceful. She didn’t mind it at all. She liked how they blushed and smiled and stammered around her. It was almost like having Bane and Barsad back…almost.

“Thank you, Kojo,” she sighed, looking over at him. “I wish I could, but…”

“You cannot deny yourself everything, ilahah. Think of what they would have wanted for you?”

She had to admit, they probably would want her to find another person to love her, but it was hard enough to not think about them. They were on her mind, all the damn time. At night, she dreamt of them, of their touch, their love…it wouldn’t be fair to whoever she brought to her bed. If she bedded someone, they should be on her thoughts, not lovers she could never reclaim. “Kojo, I just…”

“I do not hope for you to be devoted to me, ilahah. I merely wish to please you, give you some peace, comfort.”

Tempting. Kojo was lovely, with his dark, smooth skin and sharp eyes, but he just…he would never be Bane or Barsad. He would never… “Kojo, I can’t. I should, I want to…but I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“Do not apologize, my queen.” He took her hand carefully, stilling her work, lifting it to his lips so he could press a gentle kiss to the back of her hand. “I merely want to help, and wanted to offer you the option. I did not want you to think that-”

She leaned over, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Kojo. I really appreciate it.”

“We all appreciate you. Know that.”

A smile tugged at her lips faintly, but she really had to get back to her work. Herbs needed to be ground, and she had several orders that she needed to fill…she knew Hayfa needed some pleasure powder…he was having a bit of an issue getting aroused. She knew the League was supposed to be focused on their training and hunting, but they would come to her, admit of their desires for one another or someone down at the closest village…it was not her place to ask or judge. She was just there to help, to heal, to comfort.

And Kojo really wasn’t the first person to approach her, not that she’d tell him. She was certain he wouldn’t really much care to know. She provided a pleasure high as she healed…it made sense that a few of them would start to see that as something more. She didn’t really want to be wanted. She…well, she knew what she wanted.

“Ilahah!”

“Abdul-Hamid?” His shout sounded…frantic. “I am here!”

“Come quickly! Men of the League need healing and care!”

She was on her feet in a moment, sprinting through the temple, her children scattering to clear the way. Skidding into the main entry, she found Abdul-Hamid straining to support another man who slumped like he was moments away from sleep. A few other guards hauled in another man…and the stench. The two men stank of rot and decay, of sweat and blood and urine and horrible, horrible things. If there were wounds under all the muck, then infection was inevitable. “Bathe them. Strip them down and get off as much of the filth as possible. I cannot tend to them like this.”

“Yes, ilahah!”

Turning on her heel, she headed for her own room, collecting her herbs and atomizers. Draping a cloth around her head, she wrapped it over her mouth and nose, to tend to the smell she would inevitably face when tending to them. Once she was satisfied with her collection, she headed for her healing rooms, certain that the guards would know to take them there.

Everything managed to get set up before they dragged the two men in, smelling a little less than before, but still putrid in their own sense. She turned to the smaller man, kneeling by his side once they laid him out on a pallet. He was a mess, with a ragged beard and unruly hair, body thin and sickly, almost waxy.

“Aye-yah, child, look at you,” she tsked, adjusting her bracelets before plucking up her blissful mix of herbs. “You come into my temple a mess, child. What has happened?” Cooing, whispering, she waved and arched her hands over him, making it appear like a casting of a spell, cryptic and graceful. She had been simple and plain about it at first, but she was starting to love the wide, amazed looks she got when she played up the goddess thing.

The man shuddered and spasmed, eyes rolling blindly for a moment before the herbs started to hit him, making him calm, if only a little. He only groaned softly when she plucked at his wounds, pinching swollen flesh to work out puss and infection. They looked like bullet wounds, old, very old, but unable to heal due to improper care. Such a shame.

“Breathe deep, child, and I will care for you. You are safe here, in my arms. You will feel no more pain now that I have you.” Brushing the back of her hand lightly over the man’s brow, she gave him more of the medicine to breathe in before she started mixing yarrow and garlic to clean his wounds.

“Where…” He started, his voice a rasp. “Are we home?”

“Yes child, you are back with the League, in the temple, under my care. You need not worry about a thing.” A confused sound left her lips when he shakily brushed her hands away. “Child?”

“I will be fine…tend to my brother. He is worse than me.”

“You are not fine. And I cannot tend to him, he is still being washed. I will make sure you are healed first.” It took a bit to tuck his hands back down, but it had to be done, so she could resume. “Why did you go so long without care, child?”

“Needed…to get home. Stay hidden…” He groaned, head lolling to the side. He made no complaints when she pressed out the infection and cleaned the wound, breath ragged.

Keeping her head down, she focused and gave a few stitches where she needed to, bandaging and cleaning all wounds that she found, no matter how small they were. She was so focused that she didn’t notice him reaching up until his fingers brushed against her cheek. “Is there something wrong, child?”

“I hope…you’ll forgive us. It was…for the best.”

Her brow furrowed as she stared at those hazy eyes, stared at the matted beard and… “What are you talking about?” Her voice was shaking at this point.

“You have grown….little bird.”

Her heart stopped, her breath stopped, heat and cold flooding her until she couldn’t even move. There was no way, no possible way that… “Barsad?”

His eyes crinkled faintly, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I missed you, little bird.”

“Oh my god. I can’t I just….oh my god!” Hands shaking, she cupped his face with both hands. “You…but the bomb! It detonated and you…” She didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t believe him turning his head to nuzzle her palm. “You died. I mourned you.”

“The Bat returned…we failed. Bane…”

“Oh god.” She couldn’t bear her heart right now, breaking and swelling with love all at the same time. It ached horribly, but she needed to know. “Is he…”

“He is here, little bird. But he…is worse than me…He lives, little bird. Help him.”

“Kojo!” She screamed, turning to look towards the door. “Bring him to me now!”

“Yes, ilahah!”

“Sleep,” she told Barsad, almost as an afterthought before she rose, collecting up her items as the hulking wreck of a man was dragged in.

And wreck was being kind. He stank the worst, low growls and snarls coming muffled and distorted, not at all like he had been before… When Kojo and his men set Bane down, he arched as if the pallet burned, roaring and lashing out, fist clipping a guard and sending him sprawling. More men piled forward, pinning his arms, trying to keep him still as she approached.

It ached horribly to see him like that. Her gentle, sweet Bane, screaming and roaring and thrashing, smearing blood and puss across the pallet, trying to knock men from him, like they were hurting him… “Aye-yah, child! Be still!” She snapped out, quickly refilling her atomizers with her soothing medicine. “You do more damage than good!”

He arched up, screaming loud enough that it felt like it echoed down the mountain, only for the sound to be cut off by a heave and a gurgle, his body twisting to the side as he spasmed. She watched, shocked, confused, until she heard a familiar sound.

“He is purging!” And it had nowhere to go. “He’s drowning himself in his own vomit! Let him roll!” The moment the guards let him get over onto his belly, she scrambled onto his back, clawing at the clasps of his muzzle. She knew it held back the pain, knew it was supposed to hold back the pain, but he was clearly feeling something. Once his mask was free, she threw it aside, heart aching as he heaved and vomited again, nothing but the hot splash of stomach acid hitting the pallet beneath him. “Fuck, you poor…” She reached under a bit, waving her hands over his face so he could breathe in her medicine.

When he started to slow, to still, she reached out for a clean cloth, pressing it over his face as she helped him roll over. She didn’t know if he wanted to keep his appearance hidden, but it was for the best. Give him a bit of privacy in his weakness. Satisfied that he was settled, she grabbed some of her pain killing herbs, sprinkling them over the cloth on his face and wetting it, so he could breathe it in, take it in deep.

Taking advantage, she worked quickly to peel away cloth and debris. His chest was a mess of burns and cuts, like he had been burnt and taken an explosion of some kind. She wanted to ask, but it wasn’t the right time for it. She had to clean, disinfect, stitch…there was so much to tend to.

“She weeps again,” one of the guards murmured, startling her. “Why does our ilahah weep, brother?”

“She weeps for her children. She loves us all.” Kojo. Did he not recognize them?

She glanced over to the mask, noting that it was mangled, caked with mud and old vomit and…it was fairly unrecognizable. It didn’t matter. She had so much work to do. So much to heal… She didn’t let herself slow or stop, needed to fix him, needed to make him better. He had done so much, and she needed to heal him, make sure he lived and…and could go on and be strong again.

No more wounds to tend. Her hands shook as she sat and stared at his torso, looking for something else to fix, but found nothing. It was too much, so she had to turn and make more medicine, more to soothe his pain, more to sprinkle over the cloth on his face and wet down. Breathe them in, cure him, make him live again…

“Ilahah…what do we do now?”

Numb, she lifted her head to look at Kojo. “Wh…what?”

“What do you need from us now?”

Oh. All the guards still lingered in the room, watching, waiting for her command. They were probably afraid that Bane would rise up again, lash out at their goddess…she could understand the fear, really. But she knew it was okay. She could handle it.

“Go out to the temple,” she sighed, resting her hand over her heart. “Tell them their god has returned to them.”

Silence sank over the room, all the men staring at her, eyes wide, lips parted in shock. She didn’t blame them. “This…Bane?”

“And Barsad.” She nodded to them both in turn, a smile coming to her lips, making her cheeks ache as she grinned. “Bane and Barsad have returned to us.” To her. They were back with her again. She wasn’t going to allow herself to assume that they would love her again, after whatever pains they had gone through, but at least she knew they were alive. Something had happened, and they had survived, and that was all that mattered. “I will be taking my meals in here for now, as I tend to them. If one of you could bring me some hot water, to bathe them, I would appreciate it.”

Kojo leaned forward, reaching out to clasp her hand, to press a kiss to the back of it. “You are whole again, ilahah.”

A giggle rose from her throat, but she fought it, barely managing to nod. “It feels like it, Kojo. It certainly feels like it.” Her breath shook as she watched the guards leave, unable to believe that they were really…they were home. But they were sick, hurt, and she had to help them. They believed she could help, so she would. She would show them all that she had learned while they were gone.

First she had to clean up all of Bane’s vomit, so he could have someplace clean to rest. Satisfied with that, she undressed them both completely, using the hot water Kojo and Abdul-Hamid brought to her to wipe all the filth from them. She washed Barsad’s hair, cooing to him when he let out nonsensical mumbles, delirious from the medicine she had him take. She even washed Bane’s hair, though such a thing shocked her. Of course Bane could grow hair, but his head had been so perfectly smooth for the whole time she had known him, it seemed strange that he could grow hair at all. It was patchy from all the scars on his scalp, but it was still hair, dark brown and scraggly. And even still, when she washed Bane’s face, she kept her head turned away, washing by feel before replacing a clean cloth over his mouth and nose, dripping pain medicine over it from time to time.

When she did allow herself to sleep, she lay curled against one of their sides, hand resting over some part of them so she could feel their warmth, their pulse…just so she could know that they were really there, really alive. She ached to know what had happened to them, but it didn’t matter. They were home.

“Eat. It is a simple broth…you need something in your stomach.”

Barsad grunted, covering his face with a hand. “I…am sure I would need help. I feel strange.”

“My medicines. The one you feel is the one that soothes and cradles in warmth. Keeps my patients still while I tend to their wounds.” Balancing the bowl in her hand, she scooted in, adjusting so his shoulders were resting in her lap, his head propped against her chest. She steadied the bowl, guiding it to his lips so he could sip at it. “Does it make you feel good?”

“Yes. I did not know you knew herbs and potions like this, little bird.”

“Well…I didn’t.” She shrugged faintly, her free hand stroking over his hair as he drank, lacing through the strands. “But when I arrived, they let me…well, after a while, Abdul-Hamid told me about the chamber. I went in and…apparently I was in there for seventeen days?”

“And it lent you knowledge…” He hummed, then chuckled faintly. “I wonder if he’ll go back to being Hamid, now.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Your Abdul-Hamid…his name was just Hamid when I knew him, before. Do you know what his name means, little bird? Hamid means praised, and Abdul means servant… Before you came, he was just praised, and then…servant of the praised.”

“Geezus.” She really didn’t deserve all of this attention. “Barsad…what happened? I was told the bomb detonated and I thought…”

He coughed slightly, cleared his throat, then heaved a sigh. “The bomb did detonate, but The Bat had arrived just in time. He rallied the police and attacked, broke Bane’s mask, bested him…Talia fought back and helped Bane, allowing the Bat to be tied, only for her to command me to take her to the bomb, to assure it detonated properly. I was shot and fell behind, and all I could do was watch as an ally to the bat came and shot Bane with…they must have been rockets. I waited until they left, and I crawled to Bane. He was hurt badly, little bird, but aware enough to crawl with me to the sewers. We hid there for a time, but as I was not as badly injured, I ventured out to see what had happened. Talia died in her attempt to keep the bomb, and the Bat managed to remove the bomb, letting it detonate miles from the city. I knew then, with our failure, we needed to escape, come home to the League. It was hard, little bird, so hard, with the two of us too injured to be much help, while also needing to stay hidden. We traveled for miles in the sewers, warring infection and starvation. There were times we passed out in whatever hovel we collapsed in, sleeping for days in a fever sleep like death. But we kept going. We had to come home.” Tipping his head back, he smiled up at her, though it was weak. “Part of me wondered if you would even be here, little bird.”

“You both wanted me to be here. So I’m here.”

“I know. But we lied to you, tricked you. I would understand if you were angry, wanted to lash out in some way and defy us. We would have understood.”

“I love you two. And you two always seemed to know what was best for me so…” She sighed, setting aside the bowl when he was finished. “I’m doing well here. I heal people well and they seem to like me being here. I…I am doing well here.”

“I know you are. I knew you would. You always were a beautiful goddess…you just needed a place to bloom, and grow…”

“Oh Barsad…” She leaned over, letting her hands flutter and stroke over his cheeks, his lips. “I will never understand what I did to deserve the attentions of two amazing men.”

“You are so much more than what you will let yourself believe, little bird. You…” His brow furrowed after a moment. “Two? Only two? Did no one here vie for your attentions?”

“Oh. Um, well Kojo offered…”

“Offered? Was he satisfactory?” He started to grin, but it faded, his brow furrowing. “You did accept, right?”

“No! No…I couldn’t.” She dragged her thumb over his bottom lip, feeling the threads of pain in her heart that she had felt all those months. “I mourned you both. You two were on my thoughts constantly. I couldn’t bear to bring someone to my bed when my thoughts were on you…”

The sigh he let out sounded pained beyond belief, but he still smiled, eyes too bright. “I will never understand how my brother and I managed to earn the love of someone as devoted as you.”

“I find myself wondering that about you both too.” She chuckled faintly, resting her hands on his shoulders to knead gently.

“As much as I adore all of your attention, little bird…Bane cried out for you often in his fever dreams. He missed you. I’ll be fine for now.”

In the days of her care, Bane had remained in a medicine induced sleep. She wanted him to rest and heal, since his wounds were so terrible…but she really did want him to wake up. She wanted to see him move and talk the way he used to, to hold her close and call her…and, in truth, she really was worried about him being without his mask. She knew his pain was intense, figured the screaming and thrashing before was from his pain, but…she had to hope his sleep was enough to keep him from suffering. She was confident with her medical skills, but she still…it was Bane, and she didn’t want him to suffer.

“Go,” Barsad insisted, waving his hand. “I need to sleep as well.”

“Okay. I love you, Barsad.”

“And I you, little bird.” He smiled before rolling off of her lap, settling on his side. “I will be here if you need me.”

She needed a hell of a lot, but he was right. She needed to tend to Bane, make sure he was okay… With a sigh, she crawled over to Bane’s pallet, kneeling at his side. His chest rose and fell steadily, a peaceful pace of sleep with no pain. She didn’t want to disturb it, but she just…she wanted to see him. She checked his wounds, made sure everything was clean…and waited. She rested her hand on his shoulder and just watched him sleep, not wanting to be greedy, but…

His breath hitched, eyes rolling under the lids for a moment before fluttering open. They stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment, then shifted right over to her. The shock of seeing those cloudy eyes again just made her heart stop. For some reason, a part of her feared that he wouldn’t know her, wouldn’t recognize her…it had only been three months, but three months was a long time.

His hand lifted slowly, wavering and limp until it neared her face. He clumsily gripped the cloth over her face, drawing it down with jerking movements. Once it was out of the way, he reached up again, fingers brushing over her lips. Her heart was thundering away as she stared back, sitting still, as if any movement would spook him.

His throat clicked as he swallowed, hand sliding up to cup her jaw. “Habibi.”

“Bane,” she sobbed, turning into his touch, pressing kiss after kiss to his palm. “Oh god, Bane…”

“Habibi,” he whispered again, his voice so different. There was no mask to filter, to distort…it was just him. Just Bane. “Or are you ilahah now?”

“I’ve always been your habibi, Bane. Always.” She hiccupped past her tears, managing a smile as she cupped her hand over his. “I just…told everyone they weren’t allowed to say that word to me. Only you can. Only you.”

His eyes crinkled a bit, a soft smile sweetening his expression. “So stubborn, habibi. Just as I left you.”

“After you made me leave,” she reminded him, frowning. “You tricked me.”

“And what would have happened if you had stayed with me? Everything went wrong. If you had not been here to heal us…”

So things worked out. It didn’t mean that she wasn’t still cranky about it. It sounded like she did dodge a bullet, but she didn’t want them to suffer alone. She had mourned like they had died, but it still didn’t compare. They had become infected and…it didn’t matter anymore. “Do you hurt, Bane?”

“Yes. But it is bearable, habibi. I had grown used to the medicine in my mask…this is different.” He let go of her cheek, touching the cloth over his mouth and nose. “You have become skilled.”

“I’m a healer, just like you said I would be. Your people, the League…I help them, as you wanted.”

“You truly are ilahah.”

“Don’t call me that. I don’t want you to…I only ever want to be-”

“Habibi.”

“Yes. Yes, that. God, I missed hearing that.” She managed a laugh, wiping tears from her eyes. “I slept with your jacket and blanket every night. I just…”

“You slept alone?”

Dismay fluttered through her. “Yes. Of course I did.”

“Why?”

“Seriously?” She tossed her hands up in exasperation. “Barsad said the same thing!”

“Of course he did.” His brow furrowed, his voice dropping a bit. “You did not take another lover?”

“No! I was mourning you and Barsad! I thought you two were dead!”

“The best way to recover from a loss is to gain something. You thought we were dead, did you not?”

“It didn’t matter. I didn’t want to love someone else, physically or otherwise. You two have been the only thing I have ever needed.” She couldn’t believe she was arguing with him. “I would think you’d be happy I remained loyal to you.”

“We placed no claim on you, habibi. Though I did barter for you at first, you were free to love as widely and as freely as you wished. You could have been with anyone you wanted, whenever you wanted.”

“So…like an open relationship?”

“I never thought to be greedy and hoard you for myself, habibi. You are a gift, and I expected you to share it with anyone who wanted to try.”

Geez. She sighed, shaking her head. “You two are absolutely ridiculous. I didn’t think you’d want me to be with anyone besides you two.”

“We did not properly discuss our relationship, did we?”

Relationship. It made her heart flutter a bit at the thought. “That’s right. We never did. What would we call this?”

He hummed, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. “I am not good with these sorts of things, habibi. What would you want to call it?”

It was stupid. It was really stupid because she was in her twenties, and Bane had to be at least in his thirties, same with Barsad, and it was a term really reserved for teenagers, but she’d never had the chance before. No one had ever wanted her before. She couldn’t pass up the chance. “Could you…be considered my boyfriend?”

The low rumble of his laughter made her grin and blush, but he just kept laughing. “Then I suppose you are my girlfriend.”

“It’s kind of dumb, isn’t it?”

“It does not matter what it is. We will be whatever you wish, habibi.” His laughter faded to a low hum, his gaze becoming entirely fond and warm. “When I was in the Pit, I never imagined I would find someone like you. Someone who would call me their boyfriend, even.”

“Sounds kind of immature, doesn’t it?” She sighed, resting her hand on his clavicle. “It’s okay if you don’t-”

“I want to. I want…” He paused, brow furrowing. “I want to kiss you.”

“W…what?” She wanted to believe it, she really did, but she didn’t want to get hopeful. “But…”

“There will never be a better chance, habibi. My mask is off, and your medicine makes me feel a pleasant sort of numbness. I feel like I could bear the pain, if only to experience the pleasure of kissing you.” He faltered a bit, his eyes flicking off to the side. “I bear scars, habibi, and I pray that they do not deter you from-”

“I don’t care about scars. I have stretch marks and acne scars and you’ve never done anything about them, so…I’ll love whatever you show me.”

Bane nodded faintly, pressing a hand over the cloth on his face. He breathed in deeply several times, taking in as much of the medicine as he thought he needed. Still, he hesitated, his eyes fluttering shut as he gripped and pulled, pulling the cloth away and exposing his face.

Several scars were slashed across his mouth and nose, deep and pulled at his skin. The placement on one of the scars over his nose apparently took a part of it, leaving a faint triangle chunk taken out. One of the scars slashed over the edge of his mouth, tugging it enough to make it look like he was smirking slightly. Over his lips, they slashed and tugged, but there was no way to remove the near decadent plushness of his lips. They were lovely, near feminine if she didn’t think about the man they were a part of. Despite the scraggling attempt at a beard on his face, he was…

“Beautiful,” she sighed, unable to believe it, which was more than a little terrible of her. Still, with the mask and his nervousness about it, she expected something horrible.

His eyes snapped open, staring at her in shock. “What?”

“What what?” She started to be worried, but the confusion on his face only warmed her. “Oh Bane, you’re beautiful. You…are you blushing?”

He huffed faintly, glancing aside. “I would deny it if it wasn’t so obvious. Not many have seen my face, habibi. It has been years since I could go without the mask for any period of time.”

“I’m honored.” Reaching up, she let her fingers brush over his lips. “Your mouth is beautiful, Bane.” When he smiled slightly, she let out a soft laugh, leaning down closer. “Very beautiful.” A hum left her throat when his hands laced in her hair, allowing herself to be drawn in closer.

It was so perfectly him with the way he only gave the barest brush against her lips, just feeling for a moment before pressing her down completely, a soft, closed kiss. He broke it off, then did it again, and again, just pressing feather light kisses against her. They were almost shy, like if he tried anything more, she might get offended. It was she who cupped his face so she could flick her tongue against his lip, pleased when he let out a broken sound.

It struck her then that might not have ever kissed anyone before.

She had to lean back, admire him, finding the flush on his cheeks and the haze in his eyes to be entirely too pleasant. Still, reason nagged at her, making her take the medicated cloth and press it over his mouth and nose for a moment. “Have you ever been kissed before this, Bane?”

His gaze flicked away, but they drew back to her lips, unwilling to look away for too long. “No, habibi. Yours are the first lips I’ve kissed.” He snorted softly, flinching a little at the pain it caused his wounds. “No one to kiss in the Pit, too busy outside of it, too much pain to find a way around the mask. And, habibi, there are none that I have wanted to kiss as much as I have wanted to kiss you.”

Love bloomed strong in her chest, making her choke and swallow hard. “Bane,” she whispered fondly, leaning down to press her forehead to his.

“Habibi,” he whispered back, his own voice thick.

She had to draw the cloth away, so she could kiss again, kiss him more, letting it be slow and tentative, knowing they had all the time in the world now to explore. If her medicines could keep the pain at bay enough for this, then why not linger? Why not hope for more in the future? Maybe she could help him. Maybe… Either way, she was happy to kiss her Bane, feel his strong hands be so gentle in her hair, pushing her hood back.

“You truly are ilahah,” he breathed when she let him breathe more of the medicine, his eyes drifting over her body. “So radiant. Hayet albi enta, habibi. You are what gives my heart strength.”

“I wish I knew how to say such beautiful things to you. Your voice sounds like music when you speak to me…how many languages do you know?”

“Besides my words of love, I know Spanish, French, German, Russian…I am learning Italian still, and hope to master it soon.”

“Geezus. You are talented, Bane.” She glanced down at his wounds, wishing she could speed his recovery, if only a little. “I already know you can knit and weave…what else can you do?”

“You surely do not want to know my combat skills…but I can play the lavta quite well, if I may be proud of that, not that I have much time for music.” He hummed when she lifted his hand, kissing his gently. “Perhaps I will now.”

“Yeah? Will you be staying here, with the League?”

“I will need to heal, train again. And I will need time to mourn.” His gaze flicked aside, a sigh heaving through his body. “We have lost Talia, my dear sister. We will need time to mourn the loss of her, and find a new purpose. For now, we are aimless, without a greater purpose. Talia insisted that we follow her father’s purpose…without either of them, we only do small deals, train, and wait. With our failure, we will only become stronger.”

Sadness sank through her in a moment, forcing her to let out a slow breath. “Bane.” She swallowed hard, nuzzling against his palm. “I…had been pregnant.”

He went still, eyes wide when she managed enough courage to look at him. He didn’t even seem to be breathing. He just stared at her.

“I didn’t know until I had been in the chamber. The pain of miscarrying was what pushed me into crawling out.” Guilt started to creep through her, making her stammer just a little bit. “I don’t know if it was because I was in there for seventeen days straight or the fact that I didn’t eat or drink or move and I’m…I’m sorry, Bane. I didn’t want a baby if you weren’t here with me but now I know you’re alive and-”

“Hush, habibi, there is no harm done.” His hand shifted, his knuckles brushing against her jaw. “It is for the best.”

“It is?” Dread pooled in her stomach, just a little bit. “Why?”

“As you swelled with child, I would still be healing, unable to care for you properly. This way, we will be able to try anew, once I am able.” He reached down slowly, resting his hand over her belly.

“Oh.” That was definitely better than what she had feared. “You’re not worried about me miscarrying?”

“I know it was not the fault of your body, habibi. Your hips, your entire form breathes life both into the already living and the yet to be. There is no possibility that it is through your body that life was denied.”

Her relieved laugh sounded a little more broken than she would have liked it to be. “You make everything about me sound so wonderful. It’s…refreshing.”

“Someday you will see that you truly are ilahah, malika, habibi. You will see that you are grand, beautiful, and everything anyone would ever look for to love, to worship.” His brow furrowed, hand tensing for a moment. “You are more than anything I have ever wished for for myself. I find myself being greedy, keeping you by my side while reason screams at me to give you to Barsad completely.”

“What?” She sat back, eyes wide with shock. “Why? Why would you want to do that?”

“Because he had a wife and child once. I should give you to him so that he may have that again, feel that unity for himself-”

“I can have that with both of you! It would be downright horrible of you to try and do that. I love both of you so much, want to have that with the both of you. I can be both of yours, I want to be both of yours. Please be greedy. I…” She sighed, covering her face with her hand when she realized how desperate she sounded. “I can give you both children. I have never believed in monogamy. I saw it fall apart in my family. The world is too big to restrict it down. And you both make me so happy and…don’t even think about it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, habibi. It is just what I should do. I am greedy, weaker than I thought I was. I firmly believed no woman could ever want me. Barsad was a rare find, but he does not compare to you.”

She sighed, staring blankly at Bane for a moment. “I love you both so much.”

His eyes softened, and he nodded faintly. “Ya habibi, bahebak. I love you too, habibi.”

With a soft whimper, she leaned back down, brushing the cloth aside so they could kiss again.

There she lingered, stretched out along his side, taking time kissing him, or letting him breathe in her medicine while she nuzzled and kissed his throat. She wasn’t used to dealing with stubble when it came to Bane, but she knew when he was well, he would go back to his impeccably groomed appearance. She just wanted him to be better, wanted them all whole again.

They were already mostly there, anyways, since she had them back.


	9. Appreciation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every woman has her needs, and sometimes a woman is lucky enough to have a wide selection to choose from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so some people really like Kojo and Abdul-Hamid so this chapter is for you guys. Also seriously the American standard for dicks really sucks I mean really? Anyways. Enjoy more pointless smut.

“Son of a…motherfucker,” she hissed, shaking her hand as if it would clear the pain.

“Ebn el metnakah, little bird.”

She glanced up, pausing. “Ebn…”

“Ebn el metnakah.”

She did her best to repeat it, grinning when he nodded in approval. “Least I can do is know some curse words, right?”

“Of course, little bird. Something to look forward to at least.” Barsad let out a soft grunt of pain as he leaned back, hand going to his wound. “Got any more of your potions for me, ilahah.”

“Don’t call me that.” She sniffed, rummaging through her bag before pulling out a small bottle. “It will burn, but it’ll help it heal faster.” When he nodded faintly, she peeled back his bandages and dripped it on there, smiling at his grumble. “Displeased with my skills?”

“I do wish you could simply kiss it better.” He sighed, making a happy sound when she fluffed the cushions he reclined on, tucking the blanket around him. “Such care from you, little bird.”

“I’ve always cared. Don’t I show it right?” She slid over, pressing a kiss to his cheek, knowing full well that many of the League were watching them now.

“My little bird, my love,” Barsad sighed, draping an arm around her. “I do adore you, but Bane and I do not wish for your care. We wish to care for you. We see an ache in you, the pain of giving so much, hoping that someone will give back to you finally…we want to care for you. Our malika, our ilahah.”

With a soft hum, she tucked her face against his neck, just resting there. Enough time had passed that Barsad felt willing and strong enough to join her in the main chambers, sitting with her while she tended to her plants, accepting the gifts from the League, and doling out medicine when needed. She was still their oom, their mother, caring for them as they needed it. She needed to be there for all of them, and she was happy to…though Barsad and Bane would always receive care first, if she had to choose.

“I wonder how the temple will shift, now that their god is back,” Barsad mused, trailing a gentle touch up her bare arm. “Now that their god has a goddess…oh my, they’ll be expecting children.”

Bane had to have told him that she miscarried. They whispered too much to each other not to know everything about everything. “I’ll have your children too, Barsad. As many as you want.”

“I want you to want them too, little bird. Carrying a child is heavy on a woman’s body, and is no slight task. While we would support you completely…it is a burden. We would not force it upon you.” His hand trailed up, touching over her shoulder, over her throat. “We did not have enough time with you, little bird, before we sent you away.”

Fear of her approaching death had prevented them from fully exploring each other, testing out their new physical freedom. Bane had tied her once or twice, but it had only been slight, only for a short while. She had been too frightened to relax completely, too worried about what the fire would feel like to submit. She hummed at the thought, being that submissive pet for him and Bane…she really would enjoy that, being the center of attention completely. “Perhaps when you are both healed completely.”

“Definitely when we are both healed.” He let out a slow sigh, nodding to her table. “You were working on something.”

“Oh. Right.” She sighed as well, pulling away so she could get back to her plants, breaking them between her fingers, feeling their bite on her skin, feeling what they could do. “I want to find a new medicine for Bane’s mask.”

Barsad hissed softly, startling her. “Careful, little bird. Bane’s suffering is not so easily remedied.”

“I know. But he’s doing pretty well on my current mixture, and I know I can make it better. I want to make it so it lingers in his lungs for a while after.” She paused as she worked a leaf over her wrist, flinching as it bit more that the others. “He managed to kiss me, Barsad. I want him to be able to kiss us both, as much as he wants.”

He let out a surprised sound, reaching out to touch her arm. “Were you pleased with what you found?”

She hummed, slightly amused, but nodded all the same. “He is beautiful, Barsad, no matter what. And it…I liked being able to kiss him. He looked so damn happy and-”

“Imagine how happy he’ll be when he realized he can finally kiss your cunt.” When she squawked in indignation and shock, he cackled, ignoring her glare. “Come now, little bird, it is what he dreams about most. It is what he always made me do, not that I didn’t adore it to pieces. He can finally know your taste on his own, learn just how sweet you are on the tongue, how soft…” Barsad’s eyes lidded a bit at the memory. “Mm. Does my doctor think I am healed enough for a bit of a taste later?”

Heat rose on her cheeks. Months without their touch, only to have them back again…tempting. “No. I will not be the one to give you injury.”

“You can straddle me, little bird. I swear I will not move a muscle.”

“No.” Still, so tempting. But no. She had to be strong. “Insist any more in this and I won’t have Kojo and Abdul-Hamid move you to my room.”

“Bane’s room, mind you, but I suppose it did become yours.” Barsad bowed his head slightly. “I would not dare refuse the honor of being moved from a simple pallet to the luxurious bed of our ilahah.”

She snorted, turning back to her work. She wished… “I wish I had a garden,” she sighed, slumping a little.

“Do you not grow plants?”

“I do,” she admitted, glancing to the various pots she had around the temple, balanced in windowsills, around doorways, hanging from the ceiling beams. “But those are for medical use. I pluck and cut them and…I want a garden that I grow just to be pretty. I want succulents. Such determined plants, growing beautifully despite everything you throw at them and…and so many colors and shapes and…” She sighed again, shaking her head. “The snow wouldn’t let them grow to their full beauty.”

“Little bird,” Barsad soothed, his voice touched with a hint of sadness. “I would fetch them for you if I could, to bring you a little joy.”

“I have lots to be happy about, and there’s nothing to worry about with the plants. I just like…I like succulents and trees, usually so overlooked for their beauty. Flowers are always the first thing on everyone’s minds and I just…succulents and cacti and trees are powerful, long lasting. Flowers have their charm, but give me a powerful willow and I’m happy.”

“Most people do not see willows as strong.” Barsad hummed as she collected up her plants, washing her hands of the burn on her skin. “They see them as weak, bending with the wind.”

“Willows sway and bend, and always come back. The only branches that break off a willow during a storm are the weak, dead ones. A willow will always remain standing when an oak will have long fallen…plus I was whipped with a willow or two and let me tell you, they felt strong enough then.” He only hummed as she helped him up, leading the way back to the room they had been set up in. Whatever she said seemed to amuse him, like everything she ever said. Damn cryptic bastards.

“Habibi,” was her warm welcome into the room, and she was pleased to see him sitting up now, leaning against the wall as he steadily knitted something. As of late, he had taken to wearing a scarf wrapped around his head, the front of it soaked with her medicines for him to breathe in. She liked that. It made it easy for her to hurry over, kneeling beside him to pull the cloth away, to kiss him.

“How are you feeling?” She finally asked when they broke apart, glancing over his torso. His bandages were still a pristine white, so it was a good sign. No new bleeding, so she could soon take the bandages off and let the wounds breathe. He had to be healing faster than normal, but she wouldn’t question it. She was just happy he seemed to be doing well.

“Full of my adoration for you,” Bane said warmly, and somehow she was certain that if anyone else said it, it would sound ridiculous. But with him? It made her blush and fumble. “How have your hands become so skilled?”

“The chamber, you know that.” She settled down beside him, tucking herself under his arm as he knitted. It was somehow perfect when Barsad joined the group, draping himself over her lap, head resting on her belly as he settled down to doze a bit. “But my hands will never be as skilled as yours.”

“Don’t be so certain. You see to wounds with a grace I never thought could exist with mortal hands. Our ilahah.” He rumbled out a laugh when she hid her face against his collarbone, hands pausing with his knitting so he could reach up and stroke her hair back. “Still so shy around us, habibi.”

She just grumbled, pushing a hand into Barsad’s hair, kneading softly, just wanting to hear him sigh in contentment. “No matter how you two push at it, I’ll never get used to having earned your unconditional love and…all this. God. The way you two talk about me and look at me and…I will never get used to it.”

“I suppose that is acceptable,” Bane sighed, turning his head to nuzzle at her, seeming disgruntled when the wet cloth over his mouth smeared on her. “I will still try to work it into you, habibi. When you accept that you are as lovely as we say, then you will find true peace.”

“Fah.” She closed her eyes, intending to doze, much like Barsad was. She was happy now, here with her two lovers. She could-

“You still have not taken any to your bed, habibi.”

She choked, eyes snapping op/en, even flailing a bit, making Barsad yelp and roll away to avoid getting a knee to the back of the neck. “Bane!”

He merely looked confused at her reaction, setting down his knitting to give her his full attention. “Did I say something odd?”

“Yes! Why would you ask that?”

“Because you are young and very active. I know that Barsad and I worked very hard to keep you sated when the fear was not paralyzing you. I know you crave physical contact, and in our wounded state, we cannot tend to you as we should. You should take another lover, maybe more, to satisfy you.”

“Geezus.” It was a strange thing to discuss, but it apparently had to be done, since this had been brought up multiple times. “Won’t that hurt you two?”

“Not at all, little bird. We know your body cries out for touch, and it would be unfair of us to hoard it, especially when we are unable to tend to it. You are ilahah, and there are many who would worship you completely.”

“You’re not worried I would stray or anything?”

“Should we?” Bane reached out, touching her knee carefully. “You approached me with a gift even when you feared me, habibi. I do not fear that you will stray to another. It seems as though as you were drawn to us from the start.” His eyes darkened a bit, the sudden change making her breath catch in her throat. “And let any you take to your bed remember whom you belong to with all those marks on your skin.”

“Would you watch?” She asked immediately, feeling like she’d gained a small victory at the surprise that flickered over both their features. “I…would like it if you watched.”

“Why? Tell us why you would like it, habibi.”

Dammit. She fumbled, her momentary victory lost, as she was now forced to give ground… “I like people seeing me. I like people knowing that someone wants me, someone can make me feel good…I’ve always…I watched a lot of videos, before the whole thing happened.” She coughed faintly when Bane lifted a brow at her. “Porn. I watched porn a lot, Bane.”

“Ah. The internet is still somewhat new to me.”

“Fair enough.” She nodded slightly, looking down at her hands. “I liked the public videos, the amateur ones, where it seemed real and everyone was enjoying themselves. I wanted to be able to do something like that in public, be brave enough to flirt with the cute cashier, coax them into the bathrooms and…” She felt dizzy as she ducked her head. “God, I’ve always wished that I could seduce someone I didn’t know. I’m too shy.”

“That can still be done,” Bane stated firmly just as Barsad let out an equally determined, “we can do that.” They cast each other a glance, but it was Bane that continued alone. “Surely you have seen such things as pretending to be something you are not?”

“Roleplaying,” she filled in, biting her lip lightly. “Yeah I’ve…been interested in that too.”

“We can test out your seductions for a while on us, and then I see no reason for you not to do so on the League.”

“W…what? All of them?”

“I do not see why not. They are here to serve, and I have seen how they look at you when they are tending to your orders. They would die for you in an instant if you asked. They would find it as no greater honor than to please you.” Bane rumbled faintly, tipping his head back, eyes closing for a moment. “Imagine how pleased the younglings would be to have their first experience be with the epitome of life and love?”

Barsad let out a very interested sound, moving forward to embrace her, pull her into his lap. “Mm, wouldn’t that be sweet? I imagine it would take many to bring you to completion, little bird.”

“One thing at a time,” she croaked, dizzier now with all the implications.

“Oh? She likes the idea, brother,” Barsad cooed, nuzzling into her hair. “We could make a day of it. Tell the League that they can come and worship their ilahah freely one day, all coming to dote and touch and please her until she can hardly move with how content she is. Would you like that, akrooteh?”

“Call her that again and I will break you,” Bane growled suddenly, startling her into staring at him. She hadn’t seen such anger in his eyes before…well, not directed at Barsad, at least.

“She liked it well enough in English.”

“That was in the heat of pleasure. If anyone hears you calling her that, she will lose respect. What would the League think if her mawla demeans her in such a way?”

“Hey now, what was that?” She had to cut in, looking between the two of them. “What did he call me?”

Bane’s face twisted slightly in distaste. “Whore.” He fairly spat the word out.

“Oh.” Well, now she certainly had to think about that. “I’m not opposed to being called filthy names, Bane…though you are right. Perhaps such names are really best saved for private moments.”

“So reasonable, our ilahah,” Barsad cooed, apparently completely calm despite the threat his brother had given.

“That brings up a good point. Won’t the League lose respect for me if I start sleeping with them? All of them?”

“Nonsense. You are ilahah, made to be worshipped and adored. There is nothing shameful about sex.” Bane reached out for her, pulling her from Barsad’s lap so he could cup her face with both hands. “Will you take more lovers, habibi?”

They really wanted her to, and she couldn’t deny that she wanted it…and if they watched, it would be even better. They would be a reassuring presence, letting her know that she could let go and truly enjoy those strange men if Bane and Barsad were there to protect her.

Protect.

The thought made tears rise to her eyes, sudden and hot, and she could barely choke out some kind of sound before she clamped her hand over her face, fighting the tears, fighting the urge to cry.

“Habibi?” Bane pulled her close, moving delicately so she didn’t rest over his wounds. “Are you well?”

When she only managed to sob, Barsad moved in as well, kneeling between Bane’s legs to also embrace her, caging her in. “We are here, little bird, there is no need for fear or sadness.”

That was exactly it. These two men were lethal, mercenaries, terrorists, and yet they were so gentle and caring on her, their love, their little bird. She sure as shit didn’t deserve all of it, didn’t deserve to know that she had not one, but two powerful men watching over her as she let her body enjoy what she had always craved. She had her outlet, here, in this temple, with two beautiful, wonderful men who treated her like she was the sun and the moon and every star in the sky. There was nothing that would stop them from making sure she felt comfortable and strong. They had never raised a hand to her, never raised their voices in anger…it had all been love, beautiful love, since that first moment she had seen Barsad playing games with his men, since she had sat down and read to the leader of a terrorist group.

No, maybe even before that. When Barsad spotted her hiding, told Bane, and they had taken her in. They could sense the poison of her family and helped her escape. They hadn’t even known her name, and they had cared, if only a little.

The thought only made her cry harder. Bane cooed to her, whispering soft words of love as he rocked them both, like she was a fussy child, but she found that it was helping her feel better, maybe. A little.

“I thought you died,” she wailed, surprising herself a little. She supposed it was a bit overdue, her breakdown about losing them. “I thought I was all alone again!”

“I did not want to deceive you, habibi, but I had to. I would not let you burn with the unworthy. You are too pure, too wonderful to waste in the fire. I wished we could have gone with you…but our loyalties to Talia were much longer. Loving someone like you was…unexpected, to say the least, in our endeavors to make an example of Gotham. We could not change what plans we built for years.” His voice took on a sadder tone. “It is a shame. I wish it could have been broken, for you.”

“It worked out,” she managed to hiccup, trying to reassure him.

“Hush,” he cooed, nuzzling against her hair. “It does not matter that it worked out. We still hurt you. I never wish to do that. All that matters now is that you need us, and we will never part from you again.”

“You can’t promise that.” She was pleased with herself in managing to remain reasonable, even if she did want to know that they would stay with her forever. “Things could happen again.”

“Things do have a way of happening, little bird,” Barsad teased lightly for a moment, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “But just know that we will do our best to stay by your side. The only reason we would stray would be for a very good reason.”

Not as reassuring as she would like, but it would have to do. She made herself breathe deep, to calm down enough that she wasn’t so embarrassing with her breakdown. She knew they weren’t judging her, of course, but that didn’t mean she should just sit around and cry all day. Wiping her face a bit, she sighed, swallowing down the phlegm that had built up in her throat.

“You never answered, little bird,” Barsad urged, ignoring Bane’s warning glance. “Will you take more lovers?”

“Yeah, yeah I will. As long as you guys watch at first, make sure you’re really okay with it.”

“Of course, habibi,” Bane soothed, stroking her hair. “But do not feel restricted by it. When you do seduce another League member, feel free to partake without our presence.”

“I really don’t deserve you two,” she whispered, eyes fluttering shut when her head was tipped back, her tummy doing a flip when she felt scarred lips press over one eyelid, then the other. “I never will.”

“Habibi,” he breathed before kissing her again, lingering slow, cupping the back of her head like she was precious, made of glass. “One day I will force you to consider yourself as wonderful.”

“Promise?”

His eyes darkened before he kissed her again, a bit longer than before, his tongue flicking against her bottom lip for a moment. “I still have yet to collar you, don’t I, habibi?”

“We can work up to that,” she said weakly, ignoring the fluttering of her heart. Two men she could trust enough to fall into subspace…gods, wouldn’t that be nice? She so wanted to know what it felt like to let go, feel nothing but pleasure as someone took care of her completely… She made herself focus, pressing one last kiss to Bane before turning, kissing Barsad, then standing. “Come on, I want to move you both to my bedroom. Your bedroom. Our bedroom. Whatever.”

“We are well enough?” Bane asked curiously, trusting her opinion on it completely. She so did not deserve all the trust he put in her. Sometimes she wondered if she was just making it all up as she went or if she genuinely did know all that crap about plants.

“Yes. I still don’t want any strenuous movements, though.” She replaced her scarf as a hood, waiting until they were standing before heading for the door. She smiled when she saw a few of the League lingering outside, turning and heading for her room with Bane and Barsad trailing after.

Ilahah, ilah, and mawla. Goddess, god, and protector all together once more…she found it suited her just fine, with all the awed looks they got as they passed. Some of the men murmured things, bowing their heads…she could definitely get used to all this attention.

“Kojo,” she heard behind her, her spine tingling. “Fetch Abdul-Hamid. Your ilahah seeks to reward you for all your service.”

“Yes, Barsad,” Kojo clipped out, but she made herself keep moving forward, sweeping into their bedroom. She didn’t think they would want to move forward so quickly…apparently they were far more eager than she thought for her to get with the League.

She made herself busy with getting the bed properly fluffed and prepared, tucking Bane’s coat away so Barsad and Bane could recline against all her pillows, looking much like pampered kings when they were properly settled. She fussed over them, making sure they were comfortable, before she peeled away bandages, cleaned wounds, and left their wounds to air out. She was still busy with them when Kojo and Abdul-Hamid entered, making a point of not noticing them kneel in the middle of the floor.

“Has our ilahah served the League well?” Bane asked softly, his gaze never leaving her.

“Yes, Bane,” they both replied easily, with no hesitation.

“I am told that one or both of you have offered to bed her before you knew of my continued survival.” His voice had a firm note to it, and she was sure that her loyal helpers now feared for their lives. “What do you have to say for yourselves?”

“We did not think of you in this, Bane,” Abdul-Hamid said softly, startling her into looking up at him. “We thought only of her. She moved like she ached, and we sought to soothe her, give her comfort. She cried for you every night…we…I thought that maybe if we pleased her to exhaustion, she would rest easy at night.”

God, did they hear her crying all the time? She tried to be quiet…

Bane rumbled. “A good response. Perhaps you do deserve the reward your ilahah can give you.”

Kojo and Abdul-Hamid both looked up at her, making her flush. The bed was large, more than large enough for all of them. Bane certainly had a thing for a bed to nest in, which she was glad for. She certainly shared the desire for it. It made her feel decadent, like royalty…perhaps even the ilahah that they called her with that beautiful lilt in their voice. She didn’t know how to voice it, didn’t know how to be as poetic as Bane and Barsad were all the damn time.

Still, she made herself kneel on the expansive bed, looking down at her lap as she fought for words. “I denied you both unfairly. I did not know why you offered, did not know that…” She shook her head. “No, you told me as such, that it was for me. But as my…as my ilah and mawla would tell you, I am not very keen on accepting gifts without assuming there is something more to it. It was wrong of me to doubt you. So now, I wish to thank you completely for all that you have done for me. However…my thanks also comes as a plea.”

“Anything, ilahah,” Kojo said easily, glancing towards Bane. “Anything you ask.”

“My ilah and mawla are still weakened, and I do not wish to harm them…but I do have my needs, just as before. Perhaps…perhaps you could tend to my needs?”

That certainly caught their attention. They sat up a little straighter, glancing at Bane time and time again, but when they saw no violence threatened, it was Abdul-Hamid that moved forward first. He rose carefully, approaching the bed in measured steps. It was like he could see how her breath quickened, eyes widening. She was grateful for his pace, though, as it allowed her to accept that, yes, this was really happening. Eight months ago and she would have sneered at the idea that many, many beautiful men would want to touch her, but here it was, with a graceful Arabic man kneeling in front of her.

His touch was reverent as her stroked her arm, up to her shoulder and down again. It took her a moment to realize that he was trying to comfort her, letting her move at her own pace, and it took all her strength not to cry/laugh with how giddy she felt. She managed the feat of reaching up, brushing the straps of her top down, letting it fall away so her breasts were exposed. There was a sharp intake of breath from Abdul-Hamid, murmuring something before he trailed a delicate touch over the curve of her flesh, making her shudder.

She was so focused on Abdul-Hamid that she didn’t notice Kojo kneeling behind her, his hands brushing over her shoulders a moment later. It became a battle then, between the two men, to see who could attract her attention the most. When she looked to Kojo, Abdul-Hamid tweaked her nipples, making her gasp and turn back. Kojo then bit her shoulder, Abdul-Hamid lapped at her breasts, and back and forth. They grew more brazen with their touches, which she found she was enjoying quite a lot. Let them please her and use her in return, touching and stroking and bringing her to such wonderful pleasure.

It was how she ended up sprawled across Kojo’s lap, gasping and whimpering as he kneaded her breasts, her knees hooked over Abdul-Hamid’s shoulders as he licked and kissed her slowly. Her eyes had fallen shut for most of it, lazy as she was, but she had to remind herself, made her acknowledge that this had almost been forced upon her, because she had wanted it and, as always, been too afraid to ask for it. She turned her head, managing the gargantuan task of opening her eyes to look at Bane and Barsad, her ilah and her mawla.

And how they watched her. Barsad was smiling so softly, that tug of his lips thrilling her, and Bane…Bane watched with a near deadly seriousness, but when he saw her looking at him, he lifted his hand, pressing two fingers to where his lips were hidden, his expression never changing. It somehow reassured her that he wasn’t angry at the men touching her…he was just reading her pleasure, to make sure she was comfortable. So protective, even now.

She let them linger for ages before she realized they were not progressing because she had not asked of it. Sure, she had orgasmed at least twice on Abdul-Hamid’s tongue and Kojo’s skilled hands, but they…this was about her. Right. She swallowed hard, turning her face away. “It would…It would please me if you both took me tonight.”

Their touches stilled in shock, both of them looking to her face for confirmation. “You give us such an honor, ilahah,” Abdul-Hamid breathed, pressing in to lap at her clit for a moment more, smiling when she gasped and twitched. “We will have to switch off, though, to ensure you reach your peak before we-”

“No,” she cut off, breathing hard. “I want you both to spend inside me.”

“Ilahah,” Kojo sounded almost horrified. “But you…a child…”

“The only seed that takes within me is the seed of my ilah and my mawla.” Let them believe that her body was so selective, or whatever. She knew of a tea she could make to cast out all chances of a child within her, for a few days. She could enjoy this. She would enjoy this. She huffed as she sat up a little, pushing her hair, now damp with sweat, off of her face. “You two can take turns with my mouth and my uh…my cunt, so neither of you has to wait.”

They whispered something to her as they shifted, but it was lost on her as they coaxed her into kneeling on the bed. When Kojo pressed along her back, when Abdul-Hamid stodd on the bed… Oh how perfectly filthy she felt. She shuddered from head to toe at the whole situation. They weren’t even completely undressed, and neither was she, cloth just pushed aside…she was shaking, could feel their licks and kisses drying on her skin, could feel Kojo hard against her ass, could see Abdul-Hamid’s erection against his thigh…it felt amazing. Like she was some kind of…well, goddess that they were worshipping. Wonderful; Bane and Barsad were getting exactly what they wanted in how she was feeling.

She felt a thrill when she saw that Abdul-Hamid’s cock was uncut, mentally slapping herself for it a moment later. Of course they were. Stupid American fascination with taking away the best part of the cock. It was such a thrill to see that skin shift, see the rosy, dripping head and…she licked her lips, biting her lip when she heard Abdul-Hamid huff at the sight. Right. Four men were all paying attention to her. Of course they would notice such a thing.

Sucking cock while someone fucked you was surprisingly a lot harder than she thought it would be. She had to huff through her nose, her groans muffled as she struggled to be pleased and please someone else.

“Relax, ilahah, we have you. Let us do all the work.” Everything shifted, making her yelp around her mouthful as her legs were bundled up. Kojo cradled her against his chest, gently fucking upwards, into her, shocking her into gasping each time he slid home. She was grateful that Abdul-Hamid gave her a little break, gave her some time to breathe and relax her jaw.

After having experienced Bane’s orgasms, which only seemed to rile him up more and more with each other, Kojo’s and Abdul-Hamid’s seemed…emptier. But it was fine, it was all good, with how they looked at her when she was sprawled on her belly, peering back at them.

“Ilahah,” Abdul-Hamid said reverently, bending down to kiss her lower back. “You honor me.”

“And me,” Kojo added, stroking his hand over her ass. His hands had been drifting there for the past couple minutes. She did have a rather large ass, so she didn’t blame him. “Our beautiful ilahah.”

Bane rumbled suddenly startling them all into looking over. “Massage her.”

Just as she let out a confused “wuh-” Kojo and Abdul-Hamid shifted immediately, stretching her into a more comfortable position, fetching oils. She barely had time to let out a complaint before Abdul-Hamid’s slick hands pressed into her back, choking off whatever she wanted to say in the first place.

She hadn’t gotten a massage in…well, probably over a year. Eight months since she had met them, and she hadn’t…her parents didn’t like strangers touching their daughter. Hilarious, since they had sold her so easily. She tried not to think about it, letting out a pleased mumble as Kojo joined in, kneading over her legs and feet.

She must have dozed a few times, which was just fine, because when she woke, she felt loose and happy, skin slick with oil and…just downright wonderful. She felt them kiss over her shoulders, murmuring more before they slid out of bed. She mumbled a complaint, the volume of the sound only rising when she was scooped up and pulled into an embrace.

“Habibi,” Bane sighed, nuzzling against her brow. “Are you pleased?”

“Yeah…” She managed, smiling when she felt Barsad kiss her shoulder. “Did…did you two like watching?”

“You were so beautiful, little bird,” Barsad whispered, his breath hot against her skin. “Your face, when you come…I have never seen anything more breathtaking.”

“Fah,” she sighed, grinning when he turned her head and nipped at her lip. “You two are the best thing to have ever happened to me.”

“We hope to only improve it from here, habibi.”

She believed him on that. She really, really did.


	10. Witness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her two lovers have healed just enough that she feels some experimentation is in order. It's also where she realizes Barsad kind of likes getting smacked around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FORESHADOWING! CRYPTIC MESSAGES! CLIFFHANGERS AND MORE, ALL AT YOUR LOCAL SHITTY FANFIC WRITER!

“Are you sure this doesn’t make you appear weak?”

“Anyone who dares contest my strength can openly challenge me if they wish. I will break their legs if they think that caring for you is a weakness.”

She sniffed thoughtfully at that, a smile curling her lips the more she considered it. “Fair enough. You are terribly good at this, though.”

Bane rumbled, dragging the brush through her hair over and over, gentle and slow. “I’ve tended to hair before.”

“I know. Talia’s right?”

“Yes. When we trained together here, when she found her greatest weapon to be her womanhood, she grew out her hair and made herself appear soft. She wielded it well in Gotham.”

“Seemed like it.” She glanced aside, at the men who reclined on the other side of the room. “Bane? Do you ever…you saw her as a daughter, right? Like…family?” When his hands paused in her hair, she fumbled, swallowing hard. “Do you compare me to her?”

“Oh habibi, of course I do, but not in the way that you are implying.” He set down the brush, hauling her back into his lap so he could cradle her entirely. “Talia was not a woman I sought for pleasures. No, she was one whom I protected, that is all. However, I see the same strength in you as I saw in her.”

“Now you’re just messing with me. She was planning on destroying an entire city, and I just wanted to be with you guys, crying and kicking my feet like a child. I’m not strong at all.”

“Yes you are. You came to this strange place on pure faith that we were telling you the truth. You faced your own version of the Pit, became skilled in a task no one knew…you are powerful, habibi. You carry countless desires within you, and yet you hold them back, contain them, overpower their push. You are remarkable. While I do compare aspects of you two, you are your own woman, and I could never have desired Talia the way I desire you.”

“Bane,” she sighed happily, turning in his arms to hug him. “I just…I am the first woman you’ve had? How many have you…have you…?”

“You are my only, habibi. When I was in the Pit, I did watch Talia’s mother. She was new to me. I had never seen a woman before, not one that hadn’t…women were cast down into the pit at times, but usually they were thrown in, not lowered. Even the men who cast prisoners into the pit had some pity. They hoped the women would die on impact, and resist any kind of suffering that could be inflicted. Talia’s mother was the first to insist on being lowered. I watched her in her cell often…she was something new. But no, habibi, I did not desire her.” He hummed thoughtfully, relaxing back with her in his arms. “I don’t think I really desired women for the longest time. I admired them for their softness, but I had no time to desire them. Perhaps none of them were as lovely as you.”

“You’re so full of shit,” she sighed, grinning when she saw Barsad approaching. “You both are. Where have you been, mawla?”

“Little bird! Your accent has improved greatly.” He eased down into the cushions, poking at Bane’s arm until he could also snuggle down against his chest. “You’ve been practicing?”

“Trying to. Let’s see… elif air ab tizak?”

Barsad cackled loudly, tucking his face against Bane’s chest as he shook with laughter. Bane looked properly dismayed, shaking his head a little.

“Was that right? What did I say? What was it again?” She couldn’t help but grin at their reactions, blushing when she noticed the League eyeing them curiously. “What did I say?”

“A thousand dicks in your ass,” Bane sighed, frowning when Barsad only laughed louder. “Why are you teaching her these things?”

He tried to explain, he really did, but he just kept laughing, even when Bane gripped the back of his shirt and lifted him, shaking him like a naughty dog. With a sigh, Bane shifted his grip on her, slapping Barsad across the face. It was enough to get the laughter to slow, at the very least. “Ow!” He cackled, rubbing his cheek. “Kanith!”

“Oh! What’s that one?”

“Quit learning cursewords!” Bane growled, dropping Barsad against his chest again so he could throw his hands up in exasperation. “The both of you!”

“Mus zibii,” Barsad insisted, howling out his glee when Bane swatted him upside the head. “The more you hit me, the more I’ll teach her!” He sat back, grinning triumphantly, only to earn another slap across the cheek. “Quit hitting me!” He turned his head, looking pointedly at her. “Hmar. It means jackass.”

“Hmar?” She tried repeating, her curious tone morphing into a sharp yelp as Bane’s hand cracked against her ass. “Ow! Geezus Christ I thought you said you’d never hurt me!”

“This isn’t hurting, its reprimanding.”

“Feels like hurting.” She rubbed a hand over her rump, frowning. “Teach me something else.”

“Don’t.” Bane warned, eyes narrowing at Barsad. “I will put you over my knee and beat you like a child if you do.”

Barsad glared back, leaning over to whisper in her ear. He repeated it several times, patting her arm to encourage her.

Right. She sat up, nodding faintly. “Um… aiza ta’mili hagat wiskha ma’aya?” Fumbling a bit, she felt heat in her cheeks when Bane’s brow slowly lifted. “Okay, what did I say now?”

Barsad grinned, kissing her cheek. “It means ‘would you like to do dirty things with me?’.”

“Oh. Well not a bad thing to say, I don’t think,” she shrugged, grinning when Bane reached up and cupped her face, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip. “Is it?”

“A definite improvement, I think. If you cursed much more, I would have to spank you.”

Oh. She blinked dumbly, glancing at Barsad.

He smirked. “Yes, it would be a shame if she said something like aneekak, wouldn’t it?”

“Aneekak,” she repeated quickly, hoping she wasn’t sounding too desperate or dumb or-

Bane’s hand clamped over her mouth and nose, squeezing just enough to make her complain behind it. “Such a tongue on you, habibi. Perhaps I should teach you to put that tongue to better use.”

“Aren’t you-” Barsad choked off when Bane’s other hand clamped around his throat, squeezing much harder.

“And you. Perhaps you deserve a lesson too.” Bane’s expression softened as he dragged Barsad closer. “We have not let her see us together yet, have we? You keep your weakness from her. Perhaps it is time that she see what I can do to you.”

Oh yes please. She grinned behind Bane’s hand, wanting so badly to see that. God, it would probably be better than any kind of porn she could have ever found on the internet. It was funny though, that there was almost a scene of domestic abuse going on and the League did nothing. Except she wanted it and it seemed like Barsad wanted it, what with how he reached down and openly palmed Bane through his pants. God. If any of this happened in the city, around Americans, they’d respond so quickly and…well it wasn’t a bad thing but…a lot of times people got involved in things they shouldn’t, and then didn’t get involved in things they should. Gotham was probably the worst offender for that.

“Go to our room. If I do not find you both naked and prepared for me, your punishment will be harsh. Go.” His hands pulled away quickly, his head turning away like he was already bored with them.

Before she could try and ask anything, Barsad clasped her hand and tugged her to her feet, pulling her away. He certainly moved quickly, making her need to trot a little to keep up. Eager? Excited? Probably.

Once in their room, Barsad turned and scooped her into his arms, carrying her to the bed where he promptly fell in with her, laughing when she yelped. “So, little bird! Let me ask you a few things before he gets here…do you like getting spanked?”

“Oh! Well…I once managed to sneak out of my parents’ house and go to a kinky whipping class…that had been fun.” She bit her lip, eyes fluttering shut when he ducked down to nuzzle her throat. “Why?”

“Because I found that when Bane gives very vague instructions for us to ‘prepare’ ourselves, it’s because he wasn’t to guarantee punishment. When he wants to get right to the fun stuff, he’ll be very precise. I imagine most of the punishment is reserved for me…but if you’d like to partake, then we can of course work it out.” Barsad’s hands started to roam down her sides, lingering over her hips. “He will stop if you need him to, however. Never think that he would enforce his desires on you.”

“I know.” She pushed at his chest, just so she could smile at him. “I trust you guys.”

“Good.” He smiled fondly, leaning down to kiss her for just a moment. “Come on, little bird, I have yet to enjoy you alone…let’s fool around a bit, make Bane extra angry.”

She giggled, tugging at his shirt. “I’m game.”

It was a bit tricky to undress in between their kisses and pawing, but they somehow managed the trick. He was right; she never really got alone time with either one of them. As much as she adored being the center of attention, she also reveled in the chance to dote on one of them. If she hadn’t been given that chance, she would have never have found how it made Barsad shake when she bit his neck.

“I love you, little bird,” he whispered against her belly, nuzzling and kissing. “So very much.”

“I love you, Barsad, my mawla.” Running her fingers through his hair, she smiled down at him. “My beloved mawla.”

“Always. I will protect you from anything and everything, little bird. I would lay my life down for you.”

And she knew it, believed him entirely. She just tugged him up and kissed him again, reveling in the chance to feel the warmth of his skin on hers, his lean muscle, his steady weight. She also didn’t mind the silken heat of his erection on her thigh, reminding her that someone as beautiful as him wanted her, desired her so intensely and…Before the attack on Gotham, before it all, she’d never been hit on by anyone appropriate. She got plenty of very old men who would flirt, call her beautiful, but no one her age. She had fought with it for a long time, but eventually, she had resigned herself to the idea that she would be alone forever, with her weird collections, with her childish joys.

Thank goodness she had been wrong.

“That is not what I meant by prepared,” Bane rumbled angrily from the doorway. “You both test me.”

“His safeword is pearl,” Barsad whispered quickly before cupping her face with both hands, kissing her much harder and considerably messier, near desperate in the way that he did it.

She realized he was intentionally antagonizing Bane when said man stormed forward and gripped a fistful of Barsad’s hair, hauling him off of her. “Fuck!” Barsad gasped, twisting and swatting at Bane until he was dumped unceremoniously at the foot of the bed. “Bastard!”

“Did you prepare yourself, Barsad? Don’t you recall how long it takes to prepare you for my cock? You are never willing to wait long enough, and then I may hurt you if I am weak to your begging. Is that what you want?” Bane snorted, turning away. “You waste my time. Now you, habibi,” his voice softened, “this is your first time offense, with your foul tongue. I am willing to let it go just this once. However-”

“Elif air ab tizak!” She hissed, grinning at the surprised look that flashed over his eyes. She made sure to roll a little, wiggling her backside at him, just barely, but it was enough.

“You test me as well, habibi. Very well.” Bane shifted, sitting heavily on the low edge of the bed, grabbing her wrist and hauling her over his lap.

She did her best not to giggle as her ass was offered up by his lifted knee, his hand resting over the smooth skin there. His touch was gentle as he stroked and squeezed her ass, like he was testing the ripeness of some melon or other, his other hand slipping over her shoulders and up into her hair.

“I will start gentle, habibi. You know of a word to stop me if you are not enjoying it?” When she nodded eagerly, he chuckled, pinching her rump hard enough to make her twitch. “I know that, with you, habibi, we must be gentle and doting, giving in our love of you.” As he spoke, he started to very lightly swat her ass with his palm, warming up her flesh gradually. “Barsad rarely responds to a gentle touch from me. He prefers a rougher touch, prefers a fight. He is also quite fond of choking. I am skilled at it, habibi, skilled at reading his wants and needs, so when you see the two of us together, you need not fear for him. I assure you that I have the utmost control in the situation. You can relax.”

She hummed, flinching when his strikes started to become harder. It tickled at the moment, nothing unpleasant, but she knew it would start to sting soon. “Is…is there anything you want me to call you?”

“Call me?”

“When being dominant, some people like being called a title,” she did her best to explain, gasping when his swat became considerably harder. “Like master or sir or…or something. Do you want to be called something?”

He hummed in thought, pausing in his swatting to just stroke her rump, squeezing the reddened flesh. “Would you be opposed to me still calling you habibi during this?”

The idea warmed her cheeks, making her grin and tuck her face into her arms. “I’d love it,” she whispered, wriggling a little.

“Habibi,” he breathed, swatting her ass again, just to make her gasp again. “Then I suppose you can call me Gawwad.”

Barsad snorted loudly, and she felt more than saw Bane turn and slap Barsad across the face. She really wanted to ask what it meant…but that could probably be saved for later. It didn’t matter in the moment, because Bane turned back and was spanking her again, harder and harder.

And now she was really feeling it. She started to whine, pawing at his thigh, needing to move, just a little bit, as if that would lessen the sting in her ass. It hurt, but not in a bad way. She liked the way his hand felt on her ass, striking over and over, jolting up her spine each time, shocking her entire system every time.

“Let me see if your punishment was just, habibi,” Bane whispered, hand shifting, hand sliding so his fingers brushed over her cunt. She whimpered when he slipped two fingers in, stroking through her heat, slipping inside her as he started to finger her. “So very wet, habibi. It appears you enjoy punishment. Naughty creature.”

“Gawwad,” she whispered, pushing her hips back into his hand, loving the throbbing of her ass, the pleasure his fingers gave her. It was hard not to whine when he pulled his fingers out, her complaint cut off when she was turned and lifted, made to straddle his lap, facing him. Her eyes widened when he pulled down his scarf, slipping his fingers past his sinful lips, sucking on them slowly. “Oh…”

His brow furrowed for a moment as he drew his fingers out slowly. “Habibi,” he whispered, looking near offended. “I have never tasted anything more lovely…”

It was a perfectly reasonable assumption that he would twist and push her down onto the bed, but she still managed to gasp all the same, arching off of the bed.

“Before we go any further, I must…I have dreamt of this for years, habibi, of being able to taste someone on my tongue…You have given me this gift. You have given me the chance to finally…” He trailed off, ducking down to press his lips to her collarbone, hands smoothing over her arms. His lips trailed down her chest, brushing over her breasts in turn, his tongue flicking against her nipples in delicate, almost cautious tastes. It was enough to make her writhe under him, but he didn’t slow didn’t linger. He kept kissing and licking his way downwards, never staying in one spot for too long. He wasn’t entirely gentle as he pressed her legs apart, but she found it thrilled her all the same, made her arch again, huffing out loudly.

Barsad nuzzled her cheek softly, startling her into looking over. “Call me greedy,” he whispered, cupping her cheek. “But I want to kiss you while he eats you out. Is that to your liking, little bird?”

“Greedy,” she whispered fondly, pressing in to kiss him.

She used to think her attention could be split between two things, but in sex…she sucked at it. The moment Bane’s tongue brushed over her, she was having a hard time kissing her mawla properly. Dammit. Barsad didn’t seem to mind, nipping at her lips when she gasped, letting out soft, pleased mumbles.

It was almost enough that she didn’t notice Bane’s breath hitching, but she had to notice when he pulled away, pressing his scarf over his face. “Bane?” She managed the trick of sitting up, peering down at him. “Are you okay?”

“I pushed it,” he pouted, brow furrowed. “I didn’t want to stop.”

“Gawwad,” she cooed, reaching down to stroke his head. He had yet to shave, so he had taken to wearing the scarf completely wrapped around his head, so she could only touch the soft cloth there.

Barsad snorted. “It means ‘pimp’, by the way.”

“Oh.” She snorted too. “Well, it suits him.”

“Mm.” He turned, ducking his head to latch onto her breast, undeterred by her hand curling in his hair.

“We need to have my mask repaired,” Bane grumbled, shaking his head. “Who would have the expertise?”

Barsad huffed, pulling off her breast with a smack of his lips. “The Bat, probably.”

“He faked his death, remember? He will be difficult to find, harder to persuade to fix my mask.”

“If I had access to his workshop, I might be able to fix it,” Barsad offered, shrugging as he reached down to start rubbing her clit, as if it was second nature. “And with our ilahah’s medicine, I could possibly improve on it.”

“So we are to return to Gotham then?” Bane frowned, swatting Barsad’s hand away as he ducked in, resuming his licking.

“It seems that way.” Barsad sighed, tweaking her nipple, grinning when she swatted his hand too. “Come, brother. Show the little bird how skilled you are with ropes.”

“Ropes?” She fairly wriggled with excitement. “You mean bondage?”

“Yes, habibi,” Bane mumbled against her cunt, lifting a brow when it made her grunt. He drew back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before replacing his scarf. “I will demonstrate on Barsad first.”

“You’ll have to beat me to get me to submit to your ropes,” Barsad said brightly, eyes flashing wicked. “And I am far more healed than you are.”

“And yet I am still stronger than you. You can try and resist me.”

She sat up, crossing her legs as she watched Bane slide from the bed, heading to a cabinet she had never really bothered to look through in her depression. From the bottom, he pulled out coils of black rope, draping them around his shoulders as he toed the drawer shut. He turned slowly, rolling his shoulders, cracking his neck. He really did seem to be preparing for some kind of fight…interesting.

“A kiss for luck,” Barsad whispered, cupping her jaw for a quick kiss, only to slip off the bed as well.

Quite a view already. Barsad stood tall, fully nude, his body certainly lovely. So lean and quick, muscles taut and well formed, his tan skin crossed with pale scars. He was relatively hairless, with only slight dustings on his arms and legs, a small trail over his belly. He looked like an athlete, toned for all acts.

Bane, however, was entirely different. All bulk, all height, he looked better suited to fight bears than anything else. Apparently he had shaved more than just his head when he was healthy, as she could see some hair on his chest when he pulled his shirt off to wrap the rope around his middle, holding it ready as he prepared to fight.

Strange foreplay.

Barsad dashed forward first, fist lashing out with deadly speed for Bane’s side. Bane let it hit, only to clamp his arm down over it, trapping the arm so he could attempt to hook his other arm around Barsad’s neck. Expecting that, Barsad ducked out of it, pounding his other fist against Bane’s other side, forcing a grunt of pain from the larger man. Undeterred, Bane hooked a leg behind Barsad’s, hefting his weight forward and sending them tumbling back onto the stone floor.

Barsad gasped as he was crushed under Bane, trashing and kicking in a fight to get out from under him. Bane let him slip out, if only to grab his rope and hook it between his hands, hooking it around Barsad’s throat to yank back, making Barsad arch back with a grunt. Taking advantage, Bane looped it around his throat several times, pinching it tight, turning the grunt into a soundless gape. Barsad’s eyes looked wild as he twisted, despite the chokehold, kicking Bane sharply in the chest, knocking him back a bit. Undeterred, Bane yanked on the rope that he still held, dragging Barsad along with him, getting him close enough to tighten the rope again.

Beautiful. Seeing them move so well, seeing them fight…she really should get some training. There was no way she would be able to fight like either of them, but she would like to be able to at least hold her own if she was attacked. Maybe she could use her medicines offensively? Her atomizers could be good for spreading poison too…

“Submit to me!” Bane snarled, shoving Barsad onto his belly on the cold stone, pushing a knee between his shoulders, pinning him.

Barsad just gasped, face reddened from lack of air, still managing to wriggle and kick.

“Submit!”

Slowly, Barsad started to still, eyes rolling back before closing as he went limp. She feared for him, wanting to sit up, but Bane said…

Bane busied himself with dragging Barsad’s arms behind him, tying them quickly before unwrapping the rope from his neck, stroking Barsad’s hair as he coughed and gasped. “Good, brother. You fought less intensely this time.”

“Didn’t want to scare our little bird,” Barsad rasped. “I’ll fight harder next time.”

“I’m sure.” Bane hauled him to his feet, helping him back to the bed. “Now lie still and let me tie you properly.”

“Yes, gawwad,” Barsad mocked, laughing when his ass was swatted. “Can I at least kiss my little bird while you tie me?”

“No. She will watch.”

And watch she did. Bane was just as methodical as she hoped he would, testing every loop, tying every knot assuredly. She had done her share of research before the fall of Gotham, and she knew what bondage should be like…it was nice to know that Bane was well informed. And talented. Slowly, more and more of Barsad’s skin was covered with the shining black rope, more decoration than restraint, but it was lovely.

“Here, habibi, let me tie you two together.”

“Eh?” She watched as Barsad was rolled onto his back, only moving to lay over Barsad when she was nudged to. Now face to face with him, all she could do was blush and close her eyes and Bane worked on looping and tying them together. The position pressed Barsad’s cock firmly against her cunt, and it seemed almost a shame that-

“Here. Let my bevy feel some pleasure for now,” Bane rumbled, shifting her position, adjusting her knots and helping Barsad slip inside her.

Barsad looked thrilled for a moment, then frowned. “I can’t even move like this.”

“Precisely.”

“Fuck,” he cursed, shaking his head. “Then why-”

He couldn’t please her, but she could please him. She grinned as she tensed, clamping her muscles around him, cutting off his complaint and turning it into a soft moan. She could wriggle her hips just a little, still clenching tight, intent on getting him off just on that.

“So giving, habibi,” Bane cooed, stroking over her back after he tied the last knot. “He will open you well for-”

“Fuck him,” she whispered, pleased at the surprised look Barsad cast her way. “I can watch him come apart from you being inside him.”

“If I do that, I won’t be able to take you.”

Right. Cleanliness. Ass to cunt was…no. Ew. “That’s fine,” she said brightly, turning her head to smile back at Bane. “I don’t need to get off from this. I just want to see him get off.”

“Habibi,” he praised before turning away.

“Sadist,” Barsad hissed, trying to look angry, but the humor in his eyes betrayed him. “Are you sure?”

“Of course. You guys wanted me to see you two together…will I ever get a better view than this?”

“Fair enough.” His breath hitched suddenly, his eyes closing. “Ah. I forgot how big your fingers were, brother.”

“It’s my smallest finger, Barsad. Has it really been that long?”

“It’s certainly been a while.”

“You two are adorable,” she laughed, tipping her head down to nuzzle at Barsad’s cheek. Talking so calmly as Barsad was fingered open…precious.

It really was beautiful, watching Barsad come undone. He gave in to sex with such abandon, becoming breathless so quickly, biting his lip, eyes rolling back, shuddering…lovely. She squeezed around him as best as she could as he was slowly but surely worked open, but when Bane finally slipped inside…

Barsad’s cry rivaled anything a pornstar could make his moan loud and desperate as he fought to arch, only succeeding in arching upwards. “Fuck! I can’t…”

“You can’t what, brother?” Bane rumbled, reaching over her shoulder to cup his face. “Does this hurt you?”

“I can’t breathe,” he gasped, chest heaving. “Please, just…”

Bane pulled out quickly, rolling the two of them over until Barsad was on top, slipping back inside with ease. It seemed to improve it all, with Barsad slumping and panting against her neck. At least at this angle, the strength of Bane’s thrusts made Barsad able to thrust a bit. It felt good, but she didn’t want to be about her own pleasure that time.

Her eyes met Bane’s over Barsad’s shoulder, the strangest feeling coming over her.

She didn’t want to go back to Gotham.

But…why?


	11. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They return to Gotham to help Bane return to his proper strength...but he might not be the one in need of more strength.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we add another universe to this fic because I am a cruel, cruel woman and anyone who knows me will tell you that I enjoy cute people in pain.  
> Lots. And lots. Of pain.

Impossibly, Gotham looked as though nothing had ever happened to it.

The idea made her frown behind her helmet, ducking down lower. Bane had worked so hard those months, planning for Talia, only for none of it to even matter. Bullshit. Fuckin bullshit. Still, she seemed to be the only one bothered by it, As Barsad and Bane didn’t seem to move at all on their own motorcycles, just riding steadily over the bridge into Gotham.

It seemed ridiculous how easy it was to go back to the city they were going to destroy, but she was fairly certain than the protectors of the city assumed that Bane was dead. They planned on keeping it that way for a while, avoiding police and the like. Their informants within the city said there was still someone fighting crime, but it definitely wasn’t the Bat. Whoever it was, they didn’t need to know about them being there.

I had been so damn hard to leave the temple. Her League, her people cried for the loss of her, kissing her hand and wishing her well outside of the temple. Bane and Barsad had gotten stony salutes, but she…she couldn’t wait to go back, to go home. They needed her there, and she knew they would be at a loss without her, for a time. It was necessary, sadly, but it didn’t mean she had to like it.

What made it worse was that Bane insisted that they travel as stealthily as possible, and taking a helicopter into the city was suspicious. They’d flown most of the way, but when they’d landed, Bane had taught her how to ride a motorcycle. It helped that she’d always wanted to learn, but still. She much rather be on one of their bikes, holding on to them tight…stupid girly things to want, but being on the bike did make her feel pretty powerful…

Bane signaled sharply up front, taking an unexpected turn. She and Barsad followed easily enough, but it seemed…strange. When he pulled down an alley, it was even stranger, making her pull her bike up alongside him, pushing back her visor as she straightened.

“What’s going on?” She asked curiously, noting the same curiosity in Barsad’s eyes.

“Do you remember who spoke to you when you were captured?”

Her brow furrowed. Oh yes, the cop with the dimples, the young face… “Blake? Detective Blake, I think. Why?”

“Detective. Interesting.” Bane hummed, head tipping back. “He has connections to the Bat.”

“Oh?” She didn’t know that. “So we should find him, right?”

“He might know where the Bat’s lair is,” Barsad agreed, nodding faintly. “We should secure an apartment first.”

Bane nodded. “A good place to hide for habibi.”

“Fuck no. I’m going with you,” she huffed, hoping her frown could be read past her helmet. “What harm could he do?”

“Saying such things invites disaster, habibi,” Bane warned, but he seemed to hesitate. “I suppose. Perhaps you could lull Detective Blake into a sense of security until we capture him and find out where the Bat’s old lair is.”

“Not to be a bitch or anything,” she started, grinning when she got skeptical looks. “Okay, so…you said once that the Bat was Bruce Wayne, right? Wayne…was kind of stupid. And lazy. Do you think he would put his lair too far away from his stupidly decadent mansion?”

Skeptical looks melted into dumbfounded ones. “Right,” Barsad sighed, slapping his visor down. “Shall we go look around there first?”

“Might as well,” she laughed, starting her bike up again.

Of course, she forgot to factor in that Wayne’s lands were very large, and none of them had realized that Wayne had given the lands over to a boy’s home. There were far too many people wandering around, making it very difficult for them to even consider trying to explore without being seen.

“A startling display of generosity,” Bane sad dryly, lifting a brow. “What was he hoping to accomplish with this?”

She shrugged, not that he was directly asking her. Still, she had to wonder the same thing. From what she had heard about Batman, he was egotistical, not a very welcome hero in Gotham…but he was gone, away from the city…perhaps Gotham was better off that way. She looked over the boys, sighing heavily. So they couldn’t just wander the lands…so they would have to find Detective Blake, question him.

“Little bird, isn’t that the detective there?”

“Eh?” She followed Barsad’s point, grinning when she saw who he was referring to. “Fuck yeah it is. Wow. What luck, mm?”

“Perhaps not.” Bane glanced over at her. “Speak to him.”

“Yeah? Do you think he’ll be suspicious of me?”

“Probably.” Barsad shrugged, sighing. “He did see you leaving with me. But you are a wonderful liar, little bird. Convince him that you never left the city for us.”

“How do you know I am a good liar?”

“Because I am not so stupid as to think Bane would have told you to clean my rifle for me every morning, little bird.” Barsad laughed, echoed by Bane’s indignant rumble at not having been aware of her extra work. “Not that I don’t appreciate your help. I just know that Bane would much rather have you sit around and grow plump and lazy.”

“Fair enough.” She sighed, sweeping her leg over her bike as she climbed off, pulling her helmet off, shaking her hair out. “If I get him to lead me anywhere, I hope you’ll follow?”

“Of course, habibi. You will not be alone with him, for even a moment.”

She blew them a kiss before heading towards the detective, taking her time on the long trek across the field towards Wayne Manor. Now, how to lie to the Detective…

“Sep?”

Well, she was better at winging it anyways. “Detective Blake,” she said softly, making her smile look weak. “Hi.”

“John. I’m not a detective anymore.” John waved the boys away, stepping from their soccer game to approach her. “Hey. I uh…didn’t expect to see you in the city after…”

“Yeah…After Batman stopped the bomb, after…” She swallowed hard, looking down at her feet. “After Bane was killed, I started to doubt myself. I went to a therapist for a while. He told me I had Stockholm’s syndrome pretty bad.”

“I figured,” John said sympathetically. “You doing okay?”

“I’m doing better,” she lied, lifting her head. “I’ve been seeing my therapist regularly, working out it all. It was…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to…tell me about it if you don’t want. It must be hard enough to forget, what with the…” Blake hesitated, but ended up gesturing towards her face. Right. Her scars. He must have remembered that she hadn’t had them before. Good memory on him. He reached out, squeezing her shoulder. “Want to walk for a bit?”

“Yeah…I’d like that.” She smiled, turning and following him when he started out across Wayne’s lands. “So this is a boy’s home now, huh? That’s good to see.”

“No kidding. They needed someplace…and this is good for them. Plenty of room to run free and not feel trapped. I always hated that.”

“Feeling trapped? Or…” Her brow furrowed. “Were you in a home?”

“Yeah. It’s just good to see the boys doing better than I had,” he sighed, glancing back at the manor. “Wayne was so giving before he left town.”

“Giving away all of Batman’s possessions,” she mused, grinning when he looked, predictably, shocked. “Oh please. Bane and his men spoke freely around me all the time. I learned through them.”

“You said they didn’t talk about their plans around you.”

“Not until I went back. My return made them trust me.” She made her smile falter, glancing up at the trees. “I…I’m pregnant, John.”

“Oh shit.” He stumbled for a moment, resting his hand on her lower back. “Is it…”

“It’s…it’s Bane’s.” The lie slid easily past her lips, her emotions easily faked. “The doctors say it’s healthy. I…I don’t want it, John. I don’t want to have his baby.”

“Why don’t you…take care of it?”

“I don’t know. Every time I go to the doctor, I just freak out. I wish there was some way to be rid of it easier than that…” She sighed, touching her belly, rubbing it thoughtfully. “Geezus. What do you think Batman would do to me if he was still around?”

“Maybe hold you hostage,” John said dryly, smiling wryly at her chuckle. “Maybe he’d try and get you to abort it too…” He hummed, zoning out. “Maybe he’d have something that could work on that.”

“Batman seemed to have something for everything,” she laughed, the sound dissolving into a curious sound when he clasped her hand, hauling her off. “Something wrong?”

“Okay, don’t tell anyone but uh…Wayne left his gear to me when he left.”

Holy shit. What a stroke of luck! She trotted a bit to keep up, smoothing her features a bit. “No shit? What…what do you do with it?”

“Tinker. Use it. I’m…look, I don’t want to be Batman. He wasn’t right for the city. But the city needs someone to help out, and I’m finding that working above the law suits me just fine.”

She hummed, thinking. So Blake had become the new hero of Gotham…that was interesting. But at least he had the cave, had all the tools they would need. It shortened their trip considerably, much to her pleasure. They could fix Bane’s mask and leave again, go home and plan any future missions very carefully. Maybe she could actually have a baby for them, make Barsad a dad again, give Bane his own child to care for…

“Here. I haven’t worked out an easier way to get in and out yet. I’m still finding all the tunnels and…well yeah. Come on.” Blake started to climb down into some waterfall cavern, thankfully having a hard time with the rocks. It made her feel a little less clumsy as she slipped her way down, fumbling and scraping herself as she went. She was sure that Bane and Barsad would find easier ways to get down, startling her with their grace still…well, they could worry about themselves.

Stepping through that waterfall…totally worth getting soaked.

“Home sweet cave,” Blake said weakly, moving forward. “I’m still finding stuff in here, but for now…”

“So you’re a hero already?” She asked curiously, following him. “Do you wear Batman’s stuff?”

“Kind of. I modified it. I’m still working on a name.” He led her to a platform, helping her climb up as it started to rise. “I just…it’s been really tough lately? Batman got gangs and Joker and all that, which was difficult shit, I know, but…I dunno.” He shrugged, shoving his wet hair back. “I’ve been having some issues with all these murders popping up lately. I’m still new to this hero thing, so I’m not quite confident in how to track them…”

She wanted to sympathize, really, but as they reached what appeared to be a super computer, she noted some of the shadows shifting. Poor Blake. She really did like him.

“Anyways, some of the Bat’s stuff was on a catalog here…maybe he has some kind of short wave burst system that could-”

Barsad slammed into Blake’s back, smashing him face first into the computer, stunning him enough to be grappled to the ground, hands zip tied behind his back.

She sighed, staring down at Blake as he was dragged to his knees, his nose bloody and dripping down his face. Poor kid.

“Wha…” Blake spat, shaking his head to fight the dizziness, peering up at her. His expression shifted, and she felt Bane’s presence beside her. “Who…is that…”

“Does it matter?” She glanced up at Bane for a moment, reaching over Blake’s head for Barsad’s backpack. She rummaged through it, pulling out the still broken but now clean mask. “Can you fix this?”

Blake took a moment to focus on what she held, eyes widening. “Why…” His eyes flicked up to Bane’s, flashing with fear for a moment. “Holy shit, he didn’t really die.”

“Nope. Can you fix it?” She shook it a little, trying to attract his attention. “Hey, seriously. Do you really wanna avoid this question? Any of us could fuck you up, you know.”

Blake looked injured, finally meeting her gaze. “Are you actually pregnant?”

“I was. Miscarried a while ago. Come on, mask?”

“Look, fuck, can we just talk? I just…maybe I can fix it, but fuck, let’s just talk.” Blake shook his head. “Maybe we can work out a trade. I’m not exactly in the position to bargain right here, but I have to ask. I need to ask.”

“Your choice, habibi,” Bane rumbled, resting his hand on her back.

“Oh? Cool.” She bit her lip, eyeing Blake. “We can talk for a little while. See what he has to say?”

“Generous,” Barsad hummed, hauling Blake to his feet. “Do you have someplace more comfortable?”

“Geezus. Yes, over there. There’s an apartment. A bed and stuff.” Blake hissed as he was pushed along. “Where have you all been?”

“Left the country,” she said brightly, following them, Bane bringing up the rear. “Healing and such. Everyone’s been busy.”

“No kidding.”

The apartment he mentioned wasn’t bad, with a table and a bed, sparse but still comfortable for being in a cave. Barsad sat Blake down at the table, joining him there while she and Bane settled on the bed, with her perched in his lap, his arms folded neatly around her. The whole thing made Blake look uncomfortable, but it could have been worse.

“So…I might be able to fix the mask,” Blake started, glancing aside. “But…I want something in exchange.”

“You were correct in your assessment that you are in no place to bargain, detective,” Bane rumbled, lifting a brow when she pointed out he wasn’t a detective anymore. “What could you possibly want from us? For us to turn ourselves in?”

“As nice as that would be, no.” He shifted, clearing his throat. “So the city isn’t being terrorized by any mercenaries or anything, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe. After that whole bomb threat, it was silent in Gotham for maybe a week. And then…and then these bodies started showing up.” He swallowed hard, eyes clamping shut tight. “Mutilated. There’s a killer on the streets, and I cannot, for the life of me, manage to catch them. There’s no regular pattern, no similarities, but I know it’s the same person because they carve Latin into their victims. It just…I’m at my wit’s end.” He finally looked at them, desperation etched all over his features. “Please, I need help.”

“You want us to help you catch a killer?” She frowned, leaning back against Bane’s chest. “In exchange for you fixing the mask.”

“Yes. I’ll fix the mask, and then you can do whatever the hell you want. Just help me catch this bastard.”

Barsad hummed, leaning back in his chair a bit. “Won’t be the first time we have hunted a criminal, brother. Could be a good way to warm up again.”

“True.” Bane blinked slowly, ducking his head to nuzzle against her cheek. “What do you think, habibi?”

“We can give it a shot,” she agreed, reaching up to rest her hand on the back of his neck, keeping him close. “Give me a chance to test out some of my concoctions.”

He rumbled, gaze flicking towards Blake. “You would be willing to work beside me?”

Blake made a face. “I admit, I won’t like it…but I don’t really have much choice in the matter. If I want this killer caught, I’m going to have to make some sacrifices. I’d really prefer that you all get the fuck out of Gotham when this is all over and done with, but I’ll have no place to bargain with.”

“A truce, then, until this killer is caught?” She looked at all of them, shrugging. “For now?”

Bane nodded shortly. “We will need to stay here, in the cave.”

“Fine. Yeah. Good. Stay out of the city as much as possible.” Blake leaned forward, glancing back as Barsad cut the tie on his wrists. “Can I ask some questions now?”

“No.” Bane slipped her off of his lap, standing and leaving the apartment, disappearing into the cave.

“I wouldn’t mind some questions,” Barsad offered, flashing Blake a grin. “If you have any for little ol’ me.”

“Maybe.” He cleared his throat, glancing at her. “So you’re with them willingly?”

“Oh yeah.” She nodded, shrugging out of her riding jacket, showing him the etching in her arms, on her cheeks. “I am their ilahah, their malika…They need me.”

“I’m not going to bother to ask for translations. You let them cut you up like that?”

“Yes.” She trailed her hand over the scars, trying to read them by touch. “I was sent to the League, and I learned healing and medicine there. I thought they were dead for a while, so…my lie wasn’t entirely a lie, earlier.”

Blake grunted, looking down at his wrists, at the red marks on them. “So…I thought Bane needed his mask?”

“He’s fine without it,” Barsad said sharply, eyes narrowing. “You do not need to know more than that. All you need to know is that we would like it fixed.”

“Look, we’re going to have to trust each other a little if this truce is going to work. I know it sucks, but it’s going to have to happen.” Blake tossed his hands up in the air. “I mean, if you guys are going to investigate with me, I’m going to have to know what I can expect from you all. I know Bane is good at breaking people, but is that connected to his mask or…”

“His strength is his own. The mask just gives him medicine. I made a medicine for him, however, that allows him to go without the mask. We’d still really like the mask back.” She figured that was a safe enough explanation, shrugging it off like it was nothing. “I can heal, and I’m working on some offensive medicines, stuff to fight back with.”

“And I’m quite proficient with a rifle or a few knives.” Barsad slipped from his chair, joining her on the bed, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “You have a wide range of expertise on this one, Blake.”

He sneered when his name was used, but nodded all the same. “Maybe it’ll be enough. God, it had better be enough.”

+++++++++++++++

“So this is what I have so far.”

“These are just crime scene photos.”

“Yeah. It’s what I have.” Blake shrugged helplessly, sighing. “I told you I’m not very good at this yet. Since I’m not a detective anymore, I don’t have access to all their files on a regular basis.”

“I would assume that the Bat would have a system to hack in to their records,” Bane said dryly as he sifted through the photos, picking one up. “A cruce salus…salvation by the cross. A religious fellow then.”

“You speak Latin too?” She whined, pouting when he smiled at her, those cloudy blue eyes alight with laughter. “You didn’t say you could before!”

“I’m still learning it.” He turned back to the photos, touching the images lightly. “He favors blades for the actual killing, but underneath I can see various forms of torture.”

“You’re assuming male?” Blake pressed, leaning over the table, peering at what Bane was looking at. “Explain.”

“If a woman had killed these people, we would likely have not found the bodies. Women tend to take more time to think about it. They’re smarter killers, I’ve found.” Bane’s gaze flicked up, meeting Blake’s. “You did not know of Talia’s intent until she was prepared for it. Any man might have let it slip, but she kept her secret well, did she not?”

Blake made a face, leaning away. “Right. Let me just say that this truce thing already sucks.”

“Bane’s a big muffin, don’t worry about him.” She piped up, avoiding looking at the photos. She really wasn’t good with gore…or she told herself. She’d done her share of research on famous killers, namely Jack the Ripper, but it didn’t mean she should look anyways. Bane grumbled all the same, glancing at her. “Old man,” she teased.

“Habibi,” he sighed, shaking his head a little. “I was Gotham’s reckoning, if you so recall.”

“I recall you not wanting to get up early in the cold mornings because it made your joints ache. I recall the hell out of that.”

“Habibi.”

“I also recall you throwing your back out when-”

She cut off in a yelp when he reached over the table and swatted at her. She barely managed to duck out of the way, laughing when he chose instead to grab a pencil and throw it at her. Blake watched the whole thing with a mixed look of confusion and disgust, which was just fine with her. She knew that men like Blake wanted to put Bane as just a criminal, brutal and vicious and violent all the time, but she wouldn’t let that happen. In this little alliance they had planned, she would show him that there was more to the men who were going to destroy Gotham. So much more.

“Anyways,” Blake said awkwardly, shuffling through the photos. “There’s no pattern, no common target, nothing. Unless I’m missing something?”

Bane hummed, slowly turning back to the photos. “You are correct in that. I see no similarity behind the background. Where were the bodies found?”

“Usually in alleyways. This one was floating in a rooftop swimming pool, though.”

Bane’s brow furrowed as he picked up the picture, gaze flicking over it. “An outlier. It would be much more work to place a body up there. It is my assumption that this one was a copycat.”

“Copycat?”

“Someone saw an opportunity to take out someone they hated and pin it on someone else.”

She felt a bit guilty for it, but she grew bored, turning away to look for Barsad, since he wasn’t at the table with Bane or Blake. She spotted him down, closer to the waterfall, so she headed on down, careful not to slip on the wet stone steps. Why Batman thought all this water was a good idea, she had no clue. “Barsad.”

“Little bird,” he said softly, turning his head a bit. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m bored,” she pouted, stepping up beside him. “What are you up to?”

“Thinking.” Draping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close. “So how would you like to be entertained, little bird?”

“I dunno.” She shrugged, turning to hug around his middle, tucking her face against his chest. “What were you thinking about?”

“The past. I try not to dwell on it, but sometimes the thoughts come up.” He sighed heavily, turning to hug her completely, pressing his face into her hair. “Are you ever haunted by anything in your past?”

“Of course.” She shifted a little, biting her lip. “This is about your family, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I just…wish I could have been there for them. That is all.” He pressed a hand into her hair, hugging her tighter. “I will not let anything happen to you, little bird. I will not fail you like I failed them. I swear this to you.”

There was that bad feeling again. “I love you, Barsad.”

“I love you too,” he sighed, kissing the top of her head before pulling back. “Bane and Blake seem busy…want to visit Gotham?”

“Visit Gotham?” She frowned, looking up at the platform Bane was on. “Are you sure people won’t recognize you?”

“Not entirely. But I can run fast. And I’m not seen to be as dangerous as Bane. It’s likely most people will forget they’ve even seen me.” Barsad shrugged, then grinned. “Come on. Let’s go to a bar or something. I…” He paused, clearing his throat. “Sep, I would very much like to take you out on a date.”

“A date?” Warmth flooded her, making her fumble. “I…really?”

“Of course! I’m your boyfriend, am I not? I should take you out on a date. I have no interest in solving this crime, and Bane seems to be well occupied with it. Come, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t go enjoy ourselves.”

A fair point. She bit her lip as she thought, finally nodding. “Let me just tell Bane we’re heading out.” And to grab her atomizers. Couldn’t hurt to have them with her.

“Hurry on then. I found a way out of this damn cave without going through the waterfall.”

She bounded up the steps, hopping up to kiss Bane on the cheek. “Barsad and I are going out.”

“Out?”

“Into Gotham. Is that okay?”

His expression softened. “Of course, habibi. You can go wherever you please.”

“Thanks.” She glanced at Blake uncertainly. “Can I have a proper kiss goodbye?”

Bane rumbled, pressing his hand over the scarf to breathe in deep before tugging it down, leaning in to meet her for a kiss. She hummed in delight of it, taking her time before pulling away. Still, she was a little surprised at how quickly Bane drew his scarf back up, casting a glance at Blake, who was pointedly not looking their way.

“Bane?” She whispered, catching his attention once more. “Do you not want him to see your face?”

“I…he bears no scars, habibi. I did not wish to see him sneer at my appearance.”

Oh geez, Bane was shy about his scars. “You’re far more beautiful than him, Bane,” she tsked, kissing his cloth covered mouth. “And he’s damn pretty at that.”

“Go have your fun, habibi,” he chuckled, turning back to the photos. “I suspect I will see you in the morning.”

She waved to Blake before snatching up her atomizers, trotting down the steps once more to meet Barsad. She couldn’t help but laugh when he flung his arm around her shoulders, hauling her deeper into the cave. She really needed to spend more one on one time with them every once in a while remind them just how special they were to her. Yeah, as a group there was a lot of love, but they’d always dote on her…maybe with one on one, she could do all the doting. Hopefully.

They decided on taking only one of their motorcycles, which made her stupidly happy. Being able to hold on to him, just content to cling while he did all the driving…she was so lazy. Good thing they liked her being lazy.

Parking in some parking garage, Barsad kept her close as they headed out onto the streets, picking a direction and just wandering. It was already nice for her, as she’d never really been on a date before…it was definitely a wonderful change of pace. It was her first date, now that she thought about it. Before Gotham was attacked, she was forced to go to fancy parties with her parents, meeting posh bastards that looked down their nose at everything, even her. And then the attack and…well, now she had two gorgeous boyfriends and they adored her and she adored them.

“So what do you want to do tonight, little bird? See a movie? Go to a restaurant? Anything you’d like, we can do.”

“Anything?” She hummed, squeezing him around the waist as they wandered the streets. God, it was nice to have a guy to hold on to. She’d always eyed couples so jealously…now she was one of them. Completely awesome. “I dunno, wanna go to a bar?”

“A bar? You don’t seem the type…you sure?”

“Yeah! I wanna experience a bar with someone like you. It’ll be fun, right?”

“So much fun,” Barsad agreed, eyeing the various signs. “Oh, there’s one. Looks like it has good music too. Come on, little bird, let’s get you tipsy.”

The bar was loud with cheerful people and music, but it was just what she needed. This bar was a normal standard to most people, so she wanted to try it, wanted to know what people did on a regular basis. Going from a stupidly rich family to being Bane and Barsad’s girlfriend…it didn’t leave much room for roaming. This was her chance to see.

“What do you want to drink, little bird?” Barsad ducked down to speak into her ear, so she could hear him.

“Something with apples?” She shrugged, giggling at the determined look that came over his face. “Sorry for how vague that is!”

“Vague is my specialty!” He laughed back, guiding her over to the bar. He leaned over to order with the bartender, speaking for longer than what seemed strictly necessary for just ordering drinks. Her suspicion only doubled when he started to lead her away from the bar without even waiting for their drinks, leading her to a booth further back, more secluded than some of the other booths. “There we go, nice and cozy,” he said brightly, tucking into it.

“What did you tell the bartender?” She slid in the booth on the other side, wasting no time snuggling against Barsad.

“I ordered some food for you to nibble on too. Have to keep your energy up tonight!” He kissed her cheek noisily, grinning.

“Oh? What for?”

“Well, I was planning on getting you a little tipsy, maybe get you out on the dance floor, and then ending with fucking you in the bathroom. Sound good?”

Oh. The idea made her clamp her thighs together a bit tighter, and the movement was not lost on Barsad. He hummed, nuzzling down against her throat. The date was already going awesome, but she decided to add to it all the same and rest her hand on his thigh, squeezing softly. “Yeah,” she finally managed to say, nodding a little. “Sounds good.”

“Good.” He licked her throat for a moment before sitting back up, looking around the bar like he hadn’t offered up a perfectly filthy idea. All the same, her skin tingled like fire, making it hard to sit still, even as their drinks and food was brought.

He brightened up, though, starting to chat and tell jokes enough to loosen her up, make her more willing to eat and sip at her neon green drink. Her Barsad, her mawla, always bright and witty, quick with a smile and even quicker with his hands. He was better than anything she could have ever deserved, with those sultry blue eyes, his sometimes lazy drawl when he spoke, that smile…

“Dance with me now, little bird,” he laughed, tugging on her hand.

“I...I’ve never danced with anyone before!” Even as she protested, she slid to follow him, letting him drag her to the middle of the dancefloor. “I’ve kinda danced at home but that was by myself and uh…” She swallowed hard when his arm slid around her waist, pulling her tight against him. “I don’t even know what to do.”

“Move with me,” he said simply, pressing his forehead against hers as he swayed a bit. “Don’t think about what other people will think. Just think about me, about how the music makes you feel…that’s all that matters here.”

“Right.” She closed her eyes, reaching up to hug him around the neck. Just feel the music, feel the way his body felt against hers…she was slow in starting to dance, but he followed her with ease, letting her work up to her own pace. Her gentle, sweet Barsad…She couldn’t imagine just being with Bane, or rather, Bane without Barsad. Without his sharp eye, Bane would never had been guided to see her, would never have stayed in that house…she would have been killed, or worse. If not for Barsad, she wouldn’t be so happy.

“I adore you, little bird,” he whispered, as if he somehow knew what she had been thinking. “I’ve always found you to be so…so breathtaking. I’m a selfish man.”

“How so?” Funny how Bane had said something similar to her before.

“I pointed you out to Bane for me. I saw you there, saw your innocent eyes…I knew if Bane knew about your presence there, he would be unable to leave. I manipulated what I knew of him for my own gains…I wanted to know you, little bird. You were so beautiful…” He cupped her face, keeping her close even as they continued to sway together. “I wanted to be close to you, if only for a little while.”

“I’m glad it all worked out in the end,” she managed to whisper back, fighting the emotions swelling in her throat. Damn sweet, wonderful men in her life. They would be the death of her, she just knew it.

Barsad hummed, pulling back a bit. “How about we just skip to the part where we stumble out of here, find a seedy motel and have at it there? We can enjoy the bathroom some other night.”

“Only as long as you pretend you don’t know me when we’re there,” she teased, eyes widening when he looked downright devilish for a moment. “You like that idea, huh?”

“We did say we wanted to try out some roleplay…I can definitely manage the trick of pretending you’re some ahbe I picked up.” He nuzzled her cheek, hands drifting lower down her sides. “My little slut, mm?”

“Hell yeah.”

She was more than a little surprised that no one tried to stop Barsad as he bundled her out of the bar, but Gotham did have that strange sense of not knowing when to butt in to things. It probably looked like she was getting forced bodily out of the bar by an angry boyfriend, but did anyone look twice? Of course not. Gotham sucked.

Keeping her tight against him, Barsad started a brisk pace down the dark street. He apparently knew of some place with some seedy motel for them to sign in to…which didn’t surprise her, either. He had been a part of the occupied movement in Gotham. He probably had the entirety of the city memorized. From time to time, she had to actively remind herself that Bane and Barsad were actually quite brilliant, wise beyond their years and they had somehow made the stupid mistake of choosing her to be their lover. She supposed even intelligent men sometimes made stupid mistakes, but when it came down to it, she was the epitome of stupid mistakes. She was short, fat, covered with acne…she wasn’t pretty, like they deserved. She wasn’t…

“I can practically smell the smoke coming from your overworked brain, little bird. What are you fuming about so intently?”

“Mm? Oh. I just…I dunno. Wondering about you and…well, ending up with me. You guys deserve some bomb model or just…someone who is as smart as you two. You two are brilliant and I just…” She shrugged, smiling a little when he kissed the top of her head. “I really don’t deserve you two.”

“Good to know we’re all on the same ground and doubting how much we deserve one another,” Barsad laughed, rubbing her arm briskly. “We all have our doubts. Awesome.”

“Agreed.” She chuckled, smile faltering a bit. She felt an odd sort of sickness down in the pit of her belly…she didn’t like it. Probably the combination of bar food and alcohol, but it certainly felt new. “Barsad?”

“Mm?”

“Do you…ah, do you know if it’s much further?” Stupid. She was probably just imagining things.

“Not much further now, little bird. It isn’t the seediest place in the city, but it’s right up there.”

“Good.” She stared down at the ground, wondering what could possibly make her…

Footsteps. Behind them.

That had to be it. Not to bring gender into it, but as a woman, she had to be finely tuned to people walking behind her, to the possible threat of someone sneaking up behind her at night. Barsad was a well-trained soldier, yes, but he probably just wrote off the sound. He didn’t have that paranoia that she did. She was just overreacting about it. Right.

Right?

“Ah!” Barsad gasped, stumbling a step. “What…”

She twisted out of Barsad’s grip, staring back at a black mask, oddly glittering eyes, and the glint of a needle in his hand. Oh shit. Oh god. Fear clamped tight around her throat, wanting to back away, but Barsad was there, hand clamped over the back of his neck as he turned around.

He must have seen the needle. He had to know. Barsad snarled, wavering where he stood. “Who the fuck are you?” Even his words were slurred already. Shit.

The masked man tipped his head to the side slightly. Satisfied with whatever he saw, he turned to face her, dropping the needle, choosing to instead slip a knife out of his belt. Before he could step towards her, Barsad threw himself into the masked man, grappling with him for the knife.

She could see Barsad weakening; the masked man was only toying with him, letting him fight, letting him wear himself out even more. Hands shaking, she patted her pockets for something, a phone, finding her atomizers instead. Right. She slipped one on, slapping a canister in before taking a breath and leaping forward, throwing herself against the man as well. It was enough to surprise him, making him stumble and look towards her. Shoving her hand against the man’s face, she sprayed her poisons directly into his mouth and nose, taking a bit of victory in the way the man inhaled sharply, letting out a pained sound shortly after.

The victory was short lived as he shoved both her and Barsad off, Barsad’s weight catching her and dragging her to the ground with him.

“Little bird,” Barsad rasped, gripping her wrist tightly. “Run.”

Shit. Shit shit shit this was not happening, totally not happening. “Get up!” She insisted instead, yanking at him, casting a terrified glance back at the masked man, who was momentarily stunned by her poisons. “Come on! Get up!”

“Just go, just…” Barsad’s head lolled back for a moment, eyes fluttering shut. “Run!”

“Barsad!” She didn’t see the man, but she could see the fear flash over Barsad’s face before she felt the strike to the back of her head.

And then nothing.


	12. Torture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In most ways, she's happy that her life changed. But at that moment...she kind of wishes she was back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention I like to cut up cute boys? Cute boys in pain? Because I like it. I like it a lot.

It was difficult to find reasoning in all that had happened to her. If her family hadn’t been rich, then they wouldn’t have felt so desperate to bargain for some way to survive. If they hadn’t tried to bargain, then the mob would have gotten them, and she never would have met Bane and Barsad. And she supposed with that reasoning, if she hadn’t met them, then she wouldn’t have been wrapped up in a world where this sort of thing could happen.

Her head ached terribly, nausea roiling in her gut even more. Probably a concussion of some kind. Shit. She lifted her hand to feel the back of her head, whining when her elbow bumped hard wood. Wood? Where was she?

When she tried to sit up, she found that she was curled up, unable to extend her legs, unable to move much. She had to be in some kind of box, some kind of small container…definitely alone.

“Barsad? Barsad!” She started to call out, hands slipping around the edges of her box, trying to find some kind of gap, something to get out, some way…She found nothing, which only worried her more. “Barsad!”

“Sep!” It was distant, but it was there.

Relief flooded her, no matter how small it was. “Oh thank god,” she gasped, slumping a bit. “Are you okay?”

“I think so. Are you?”

“I think I have a concussion,” she admitted, feeling just a bit better. Barsad was alive, he was nearby…they’d find some way out of it.

“Stay awake then, little bird. It’ll be okay.”

She breathed out slowly, slumping down in her box. Right. They’d be okay. They’d find a way out of whatever was happening to them, and they’d be okay. Bane said he was expecting them in the morning, so when they didn’t return in the morning, then he would get worried and come looking for them. They just had to make it until then. Bane would find them and they would be okay.

Tension trickled through her when she heard footsteps, then a thud, and sliding.

“Ah! Fuck!” Barsad cried out, sounding more pissed than hurt. There was another thud, then the sound of a drill powering up, grating against wood…directly above her. “Hey! On me, look at me, asshole!” The drill punched through the wood on the top of her box before getting drawn away, only for a hose to be shoved in.

Oh god. Terror sang through her heart as she heard a faucet getting turned, water dumping in on top of her. She screamed, trying to turn away from the water, but it was filling the box quickly, and she knew it wouldn’t take long for it to fill and for her to…to drown.

“Leave her alone! What do you want? I’ll do what you want, just leave her alone!”

The hose turned off sharply, yanked out of the hole…and then silence. The slide of something that sounded like a lock, then the clink of…a dog crate? More footsteps, slide of leather… The hell was going on?

“Hey! Hey you get back here, don’t you fucking-”

The top of her box was ripped off, the whole thing tipped suddenly and dumping her onto a concrete floor. She gasped and shook herself, trying to get up on all fours, only for a boot to slam down on her back, knocking her on her belly again. Her cry only seemed to spur the man over her on, as he slammed his boot into her again, making her scream.

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Barsad sounded desperate, more terrified than she’d ever thought she would hear. It was what made her stay low, hoping the man would stop. When he did, she turned her head, trying to look around.

It had to be some kind of basement, with its concrete walls, but the metal instruments and chains everywhere gave her pause. There was a gurney against the far wall, and off to her left, a surgical table. And on that table, Barsad was strapped down, head lifted as he glared at whomever was standing above her. Further off, there was an overturned dog crate. At least she was right about those sounds.

A hand gripped her hair, dragging her bodily towards the dog crate. Gasping, she scrambled to try and keep up, only getting respite when the man paused to put the dog crate right side up again, then shoving her into it, slamming it shut and locking it quickly. She hurried to twist in it, trying to keep Barsad in sight, not wanting to lose sight of him, not wanting to be ignorant to anything that was happening.

Instead, she came face to mask with the man.

Reminiscent of some kind of fetish mask, it was black leather, with ragged holes cut for the eyes and mouth, all stretched and pulled on the left side. The man was burly, nothing like Bane, but definitely powerful, with a tight fitting black shirt, cargo pants, and some strange belt of tools, but…it was enough.

She flinched back, huffing out her fear as the man tipped his head to the side curiously, gaze flickering over her. She felt cold all over, feeling his eyes rake over her like that, but she just…breathed out slowly, trying to remain calm, trying to remind herself that so far, the worst that had happened was that he started to try and drown her, and then stomped on her a bit. She could be okay.

Barsad, apparently, was another matter.

The man rose, turning and striding towards the table. He looked over Barsad carefully, reaching out and pinching his flesh like he was something to be cooked. The action made Barsad hiss and glare ever harder, but he was silent, thank goodness. She didn’t want him to antagonize the man any more than they might have already. Turning, the man dragged over a tray of what should have been medical supplies, instead picking up a splinter of wood and a hammer. Walking calmly, he went down to Barsad’s feet, roughly untying and yanking off his boot. Having gathered the gist of what was about to be done, Barsad shouted, attempting to kick the man’s hands away, to resist.

It did make the man pull away, looking to Barsad, meeting his gaze before turning to face her, taking a step towards her crate.

The meaning was clear, at least to her.

If you don’t let me do it to you, I’ll do it to her.

Understanding flickered over Barsad’s face before he cursed, clenching his hands into fists. “Come back here! I’ll sit still for your shitty little foreplay, you bastard!”

Seemingly pleased, the man returned to his feet, placing the splinter just under Barsad’s toenail. She turned away just as he lifted the hammer, biting her lip when she heard the thud and Barsad’s echoing scream. She couldn’t watch, flinching each time she heard a smack and another scream, ten times, ten, agonizing times before she managed to look back over.

His feet were a bloody, twitching mess, Barsad cursing and sweating, chest heaving as he fought for breath. He didn’t see the man go for pliers, only realizing what was going on when the man ripped one of the splinters out roughly. “Ah! Fucking fuck you…fuck!” Barsad growled, yanking at his restraints, barely managing to keep his feet still enough to satisfy his torturer.

She sobbed loudly, covering her mouth with her hand as she made herself stay focused, trying to be a support, trying….

“Look away, little bird,” Barsad gasped, turning his head to look at her. “It’s okay, you don’t have to watch. Look away.”

“Barsad,” she whispered, pressing her hands to the side of the crate, just wishing she could do something, anything. What the hell was this guy’s problem, anyways? Was he the killer that they were hunting? Did he somehow know about that and was trying to throw them off?

“It’ll be okay. I’ll make it okay,” he continued to reassure her, turning his head to glare up at the man. “Won’t it, you piece of shit? I’ll make it okay when I rip your fucking throat out!”

Please, just be quiet. Why was he riling him up? Why would he…she flinched when the man set down the pliers, picking up bottle. It looked vaguely familiar, with clear liquid inside. He carried it down to Barsad’s feet, tearing the bottle open before dumping it over his bloody toes. At the way Barsad screamed, at the smell that met her nose…alcohol. Oh god.

It continued on like that, with the bloody tortures, only for the wounds to be roughly cleaned by the alcohol. And Barsad just kept screaming, cursing and taunting the man through it all, thrashing and laying still to submit to the punishments. Whenever he wriggled too much for the man’s liking, the man turned to make towards her, only for Barsad to taunt and call him back. He was trying to keep the attention on him, away from her…

“Barsad, please!” She finally screamed, rattling her crate. “Stop it! Let him…I can take it! Please!”

The man lifted his head from where he was slipping fishhooks through the skin of Barsad’s fingertips, looking at her curiously. He started to straighten, only pausing when Barsad spat right on his mask.

“Come on, you pussy! Fuck with someone your own size, eh?”

The man lashed out, clamping his hand over Barsad’s mouth, squeezing hard enough that his muffled scream was easily heard. Shoving Barsad’s head back against the table, he gripped the fishhooks, one by one, ripping them out, tossing them aside like they were nothing.

It was too much, she turned her head and vomited, hanging on to the bars of her crate tightly, quaking hard as she retched over and over, even when nothing more than burning stomach acid came out.

There was no more screaming.

Oh god oh god please no… She didn’t want to lift her head, didn’t want to see if…

“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Barsad said weakly.

It made her head snap up, only to see the man kneeling in front of her crate, looking at her curiously. Oh fuck. “Please,” she whispered, not knowing what she was asking for, just…just hoping that it would mean something to him. “Please.”

The man reached out, laying his hand over where her fingers were hooked through her crate, touching gently. She didn’t want him to be gentle with her. She wanted him to torture her like he was Barsad, give her the same treatment. But…but he had to be being gentle for a reason, right? Maybe she could…

“He’s had enough for one day, yeah?” She whispered, hoping it was…she didn’t know, convincing or something. “Please. Enough for today.”

The man blinked, licking his lips thoughtfully before turning away, heading back towards the table. Picking up a massive, steel collar, he gripped Barsad’s hair and lifted his head, slipping the collar around his neck and locking it shut. Satisfied with that, he started undoing the restraints.

The moment his limbs were free, Barsad tried to lunge for the man, only ending up gagging himself on the collar. It seemed it was much heavier than he thought it was, unable to lift his head easily. How strong was this man? He gripped the collar with ease, dragging and hauling it off the side of the table, sending Barsad tumbling to the floor. While he grunted and fought to get up with bleeding hands and feet, the man simply stepped over him and collected up his tools on one cart, and left the room.

“Barsad,” she gasped, rattling her crate. “Oh god Barsad why the fuck wouldn’t you let him-”

“I am your mawla,” he gasped, gripping the collar with both hands, using all his strength to shove it over the floor to the side of her crate. “I will protect you…no matter what.” When he finally managed to slump beside her crate, he gave her a weak smile. “I will take all punishments for you. He will not touch you. I won’t let him.”

“Barsad…” she slumped down, avoiding her own vomit, eyes blurry with tears. “I can’t watch you suffer like this…”

“Then turn away. Don’t watch.” He started to extend his hand towards her, pausing when he remembered his ripped up fingertips. “I have had training for this. I can take the torture.”

She wanted to vomit again, but there was nothing to give. She just shoved her fingers through the bars of the crate, smiling when he laced his fingers with hers. She didn’t care about the blood, about the torn flesh, she just wanted to touch him, let him know she was there. She would…try. Something. Anything. She didn’t want him to continue to suffer like this, all for her.

She dozed for a while, jolting awake when she heard the door open again. She sat up quickly, looking around until she saw the man wandering in, coming towards Barsad, who still dozed in his pain…

“Hey!” She whispered, trying to catch the man’s attention. “Hey uh…I’m thirsty. Please. I’m so thirsty, could I please have some water?”

He paused, looking at her strangely before turning away, leaving the room once more.

Gods. She breathed out slowly, glancing around the room for something, anything to work with. On one far wall, she saw a shelving unit full of jars. Jars. Huh. She had to find some way to work this out, get the man to keep from hurting Barsad…his eyes looked so sunken already, skin pale…gods.

She jolted when the man suddenly knelt beside her crate. Geezus. When did he get back? “Um.” She noticed the bottle of water in his hand, feeling…a little weirded out. “Is that for me?” When he shoved the mouth of the bottle through the bars, she understood enough, leaning in and pressing her lips over it as best as she could. He tipped the bottle, letting her gulp and slurp at it a bit. When he decided she had enough, he drew the bottle away, capping it and setting it aside.

She had to do something to keep his attention on her, away from Barsad…she didn’t know how much time had passed, if he would count it as another day to start torturing…she had to do something!

“What’s in the jars?” She asked in a rush, trying to put on an innocent face. “Over there.” The man glanced over, brow furrowing.

It seemed to be something good to ask, apparently, as the man stood up quickly, heading over to the shelves. He paused, looking over them all, taking his time before plucking up a few of them, cradling them under his arm before returning to her crate. Kneeling, he set the jars down in a line, letting her see them.

Bugs. Lots of different kinds, as far as she could gather. Ants, cockroaches, grubs of some kind… She ducked down a bit to peer into the jars, making herself look interested. Well, she did find bugs kind of interesting, but it was neither the time nor the place. But she was a good liar. Barsad said she was.

“Bugs!” She said softly, slipping her fingers through the bars. “I ah…I like moths and praying mantises.”

The man made a curious sound, resting his hands in his lap as he looked at her oddly. Was it good? She didn’t know if it was good…but she might as well plow forward.

“I found an egg pod in my garden once, and I found out it was a praying mantis pod…I tried to get it to hatch, I really did, but it just…I might not have done it right.” She just kept trying, kept trying to be charming, trying to get the man to wrap up with her. Trying to get him to…she didn’t know, carry some kind of weight with her.

Barsad groaned, making the man’s head snap towards him. Shit. God please, please no.

“Do you have another collection?” She asked quickly, pleased when the man looked back at her. “Another collection of bugs? I’d…like to see it sometime. Maybe.” Reaching up, she hooked her fingers through the bars of the crate.

The man reached out, very carefully lacing his fingers through hers, through the bars, the smooth latex of his gloves rubbing against her skin.

Terror and disgust coiled in her gut, but it…it was necessary. As long as he was looking at her, then he wasn’t hurting Barsad. He might not let her take any of the punishments, but she could…distract him. A little. Maybe. God, she would do whatever she could do to help Barsad. Anything.

Slowly, the man pulled away, collecting up his jars, replacing them on the shelves. He moved slowly, like he was lost in thought, wandering over to his worktable, touching the smooth metal. He lingered there, drumming his fingers for a moment before striding to the wall, grabbing a hanging chain. He dragged it through a pulley system over to the center of the room, locking it so it stayed in place. Plucking up a set of handcuffs, he stormed over the Barsad, grabbing his hair, hauling him to his feet.

She wanted to call out, but made herself stay silent. She couldn’t distract him all the time…he would start to catch on if she did. No, she just watched as Barsad had his hands cuffed to the dangling chain, keeping him standing. It made blood run down his arms, but…but at least he was left alone.

It did wake him up, however, entire body jolting in shock as he yanked at the chain. His eyes were wild as he searched the room, pausing when he saw her there, still okay, his chest heaving. Blinking quickly, he searched until he spotted the man, eyes narrowing, ready for anything. He didn’t expect the man to leave the room again, staring after him blankly.

“Barsad,” she whispered, giving him a broken smile when he looked over. “I’ll protect you too.”

“Wh…what? What did you do? Sep, no, it’s okay, I can handle this. Don’t let him hurt you.” He yanked at his bonds again, hissing in pain when he put pressure on his toes. “Fuck. I can hold on. I’ve had worse.”

“Liar,” she protested, glancing towards the door. “It’s okay. I want to do this. I can’t bear to see you…” She closed her eyes tightly, shuddering. “I won’t let him hurt you.”

“Sep!”

“I love you,” she whispered, slowly opening her eyes, combing her fingers through her hair, trying to get the damp tangles out.

Barsad fell silent when the man returned with a small wooden box. Tension sang through his body as he watched the man take a seat in front of the door of her crate, resting the box in his lap.

He had to trust her. She could be strong. She could do this. She scooted closer to the door, peering at what he had. When the man opened the box, she saw something moving inside. He dipped his hand inside, scooping it up, pulling out the largest moth she had ever seen. It spread and fanned its wings slowly, colors vibrant…it really was lovely. She just wished she could enjoy it properly.

“The atlas moth, right?” She asked, making herself smile when she noted the man smile faintly. “It’s really beautiful. Can I…can I hold it?”

Suspicion flashed over his features, his head turning a bit so he could glance at Barsad.

“I want to hold it, please,” she repeated, dragging his attention back. “I’ll sit very still, and you can just…put it in my hands?”

The man moved slowly, setting the box aside, balancing the moth in one hand. She knew Barsad was watching it all, wary and probably more than a little confused, but it was okay. She would make this work. She would get him to trust her. She made herself sit perfectly still as the man unlocked her crate, not moving at all as he opened it, returning to his seat in front of the door. She did, however, slowly move her hand so it was palm up.

When the moth was placed on her hand, she made herself focus on it entirely, like she had no thoughts about anything else besides the moth. She moved her hand to let it crawl, to let it spread its wings, just admiring it. She could feel the eyes on her, the man and Barsad just…watching her.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, glancing up at the man. “Really beautiful.” When he smiled at her, she smiled back. “You have a lot of moths and stuff? Did you hatch them yourself?”

He nodded faintly, reaching out to take the moth back, only to shift it and carefully set it so it perched on her nose.

She made herself giggle, hands lifted a little, like she wanted to touch it, but didn’t. God, she felt sick. He was…he had to be flirting with her. Something like that. God. She could use that to her benefit, but it just…fuck. It crawled up her spine and made everything feel dizzy and wrong. It was so wrong that the man chuckled too, so wrong that Barsad looked nauseous as well. It was all wrong. So wrong.

It was for Barsad.

For Barsad, she ducked her head a little when he took the moth back.

For Barsad…she would do anything.


	13. Resistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She would do anything to protect those she cares about. She would sell herself, and she would even lash out with more violence than she ever knew existed within her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gon warn you all right here; this chapter isn't a happy one. There's rape in it, but it's a...strange sort of rape. But I can definitely see how it would trigger people. It's not terribly graphic, and our lovely protagonist isn't negatively affected by it really, but just be warned. I tried to tell it without going through all that horrible description that some movies/shows seem to do all the goddamn time anymore like seriously why do directors think its necessary to show EVERYTHING?  
> Buttttt yeah moving on. Be warned; this chapter is p dark.

“I swear to god, if you fucking touch her I will eat your fucking heart, you freak!”

God, why couldn’t Barsad just keep quiet? She could do this, could…could distract the man enough. She wanted to. She wanted to make this okay. If Barsad would just let her…

“You promised you would show me your collection,” she protested, rattling her crate.

She’d gotten good at lying. She had no idea how many days had passed, but she knew that she could get the man, the bug collector, to leave Barsad alone if she shined about wanting to see his bugs. She couldn’t keep him from torturing him entirely, but she felt that what she did helped, at least a little. Distract the man, keep him wrapped up on something else, make him…

He seemed to like her. He smiled at her, brought her bugs to hold, gave her water when she asked…she didn’t know why she deserved his gentleness, but she wouldn’t let it go to waste. She could do something with it. She could keep Barsad safe with what she had.

The man paused, lowering his knife as he looked over at her. Barsad’s chest and belly was a mess of cuts, his skin smeared and covered with blood, muscles spasming involuntarily. She wanted to cry out, wanted to beg for him to stop, but she’d quickly learned that it didn’t help. No, pretending she didn’t care, pretending all she wanted to see was his collection of bugs…that worked better than anything else she could have said.

“Do you have any hawk moths? I would like to see them if you do.”

The man set aside his knife, picking up his bottle of rubbing alcohol. He splashed it on Barsad’s wounds, ignoring his cries of pain, like it was just an afterthought. He even went so far as to just drop the bottle on the ground as an afterthought, walking over to her crate, kneeling down.

“Please?” She scooted closer, glancing aside at Barsad, like he was unimportant. Like he didn’t matter. Oh her heart ached, but…

The man dug through his belt, pulling out a pair of handcuffs, shaking them a little.

She stuck out her wrists, smiling as best she could. “Come on now!”

The man chuckled faintly, unlocking her crate. He carefully cupped her wrists in turn as he latched them in, making sure they didn’t ratchet too tight. Satisfied with that, he pulled away, standing as he gave her room. It wasn’t the first time that he let her out to roam, and she had been careful to not give him any reason to suspect her. No matter how she ached to run to Barsad, to hold his face and kiss him, she kept herself still, looking to the man every chance she got. He’d let her roam the room a bit, but this would be the first time he took her out, away from Barsad.

He seemed fond of her, cupping her arm as he led her past Barsad. He even opened the door for her, guiding her through.

The scent of blood hit her nose, but she just…kept her head lifted, staring straight ahead, not letting herself look around, just intent on deceiving the man. She felt like shit, ignoring Barsad’s suffering, ignoring how he was broken down each and every day, but it…it had to be for the best right? Taking some of the attention away, giving him time to rest away from all his suffering…

Where the hell was Bane?

She made herself stare at the man’s back as he led her through his home, keeping close. The way he moved…there had to be something up with his home. He walked like he was cautious of his own home. Not a soothing thought, but it had to be true. When they reached a large door, he paused to unlock it. Now or never.

She reached up with her cuffed hands, smoothing her palm over his back. He felt…powerful, that was for sure. Still, her touch made a tremor run over his body. Right. Stick with it.

He moved through the open door, holding it open for her yet again so she could step through. This room was much warmer, with low heat lamps, and tank after tank along the walls. His bug room, apparently, with display cases hung with care, as well as live insects fluttering and crawling about. He led her right to his moth section, allowing her to peer at them, marvel at them, even hold them. He stood closer than strictly necessary, which was fine. It was all fine. As long as his attention was on her, it was all fine. Barsad was resting, so it was fine.

“These are wonderful,” she told him seriously, cradling the brightly colored moth with both hands. “You have a beautiful collection.”

He hummed, staring at her for a long time. When he reached up, she didn’t flinch, even when he stroked his gloved hand over her cheek. It had taken a while to resist the urge to flinch, but it’d worked out in the long run, making him trust her more, actually feeding her, giving her clean clothes. She shared her food with Barsad whenever she could, but it was getting harder and harder to do. The man preferred to keep him chained up in the middle of the room…

Putting Barsad out of her mind, she made herself look concerned. “Is everything okay?”

He sighed heavily, gesturing further into the room before heading on. She followed him, worried about what had made him pause…but it surely wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, right? She could do this. She could face whatever it was that made him pause.

They came to another door, thicker than the last. It made her skin prickle at the sight of it, but she just waited for him to unlock it.

It could definitely, horribly get worse.

Gentle blue light filled the room beyond, gleaming through the display cases of…distorted human bodies. Bones and limbs cut and reshaped, pieced back together in impossible shapes, so many limbs, skin peeled and left hanging and…insects. Human bodies reshaped to look like insects. Oh god.

There was an artistry to it, she couldn’t deny that. But it didn’t stop it from being…nauseating. But she had to have him trust her, had to…had to distract him as long as possible.

She walked up to one, hands clenched together tightly as she looked at the…the limbs, spread like a beetle in a frame, everything so carefully stitched together…it clearly took time. God she felt sick. She felt cold all over, her mouth tasted sour… “They’re beautiful,” she whispered, focusing on breathing smoothly and steadily, lest she start to hyperventilate. No, she could ruin the whole thing if she broke down. She just had to…had to make it through it.

He stepped up behind her, breathing out heavily before resting his hands on her shoulders, stroking down slowly.

Fuck. Okay. She could do this. She closed her eyes, steeling herself before looking over her shoulder, up at those inhuman eyes. “You like to collect beautiful things, I’ve noticed,” she whispered, biting her lip. “Am…am I a part of your collection?”

Don’t scream, don’t scream, she told herself, even as he roughly turned her around, pressing her back against the case. Don’t fight it, just relax and let him… Her stomach tightened when he kissed her, the rough edges of his mask scraping against her skin, but it was fine. It gave her something to focus on, making her mind drift away as she kissed back, clenching her hands in the front of his shirt. She had a moment of feeling proud at the moan she let out, as it seemed to be convincing enough, if the erection pressing against her was anything to go by.

For Barsad. All of it for Barsad.

When the kiss broke, she hoped she managed the breathless-with-lust look well enough. “Well?” She whispered, tugging at his shirt a little. “Are you gonna let me have a taste of that?”

His brow furrowed just enough in confusion…geezus, was he a virgin or something? Probably. Did psychotic murderers have good love lives? Didn’t matter. All that mattered was that when she trailed her fingers over the front of his pants, that confusion shifted into lust.

Not a good idea to stick something down her throat when she was already three seconds away from vomiting, but it was too late to get out of that now. She dropped to her knees as he scrambled to get his pants undone, eager enough for it that she seriously doubted he had a willing woman for…well, ever. Willing. Hah. Breathing out slowly, she watched as he pulled out his cock. Don’t think about who it is attached to, and just…have at it.

God, it tasted like rubbing alcohol. Fuck. Brow furrowed, she sucked his cock down, bracing him with her cuffed hands as she bobbed. His breathing was already much harder than it had any right to be, his excitement already levels above what she thought it could have been. Lack of action, maybe the fact that she was sucking his dick right in front of one of his grotesque sculptures? Probably. At least then she didn’t have to look at any of them. His hands slowly laced in her hair, but the moment he had a good grip, he started to fuck her throat, hard.

That did it. She only had two seconds before she retched. He didn’t pull out much, successfully making her vomit around his cock and down her chin. He waited about two more seconds before resuming thrusting down her throat. Part of her was grateful that she already vomited, but another part of her was pissed that she did, as it did not seem to deter him, maybe even spurring him on even more. Sick bastard.

He yanked out quickly, giving her a chance to cough, turning her head to the side to spit out whatever bile still lingered under her tongue.

It was all a blur when he shoved her onto her back. She knew she didn’t close her eyes, but she only remembered glimpses, remembered the bitter taste of her own vomit in his kisses, the violent thrust of him against her. She didn’t even have to pretend to moan anymore, her grunts and huffs more than enough for the man on top of her. She was grateful to herself, for blocking it out. Less to remember later. It was for Barsad, all of it for him, all of it always for him, just so she didn’t have to hear his screams.

Apparently she had to be carried back to her dog crate, as when she opened her eyes, she was looking through the bars at Barsad, who was slowly waking up at the sound. His eyes flickered over her, over her nudity, over…

“No! Fuck no you piece of fucking shit! You fucker!” Barsad started to scream, yanking at his chains, kicking out wildly, eyes wild. “How dare you? I’ll fucking kill you! I-”

The man stood quickly from where he had been tucking her into the crate, stomping over to Barsad to slam his fist into his side. It choked off the screams, but he didn’t stop, still beating Barsad, the sick sound of fist thudding against flesh echoing in the room.

God dammit. She’d just…and he still… Rage flashed through her as she watched, making her shift, turning and crawling out of the crate. Her hands were still cuffed, but she had to do something. She had to help Barsad, had to get the man to stop. She’d let him touch her, let him fuck her and he still…

Crawling forward, she found one of his trays, sitting up a bit to look over her choices. Scalpel, of course. Clamping it tight in both hands, she walked on her knees towards the man’s back, chest heaving. She’d had enough. She’d had enough of playing it safe and trying to keep this man calm. She’d had it with having him touch Barsad. She’d had it.

She’d had enough!

With a snarl, she stabbed the scalpel into the man’s lower back. He let out a sharp grunt, but she just yanked out the scalpel and stabbed again and again. He stumbled and twisted, lashing out, knocking her back enough for him to fall to his hip.

“How dare you touch my mawla!” She shrieked, throwing herself at him, clenching her fists together so she could start to beat the man over the head. She wasn’t strong enough to even stun him, so it only took a moment for her to be kicked off and sent sprawling. Wasting no time, she rolled over and scrambled for another weapon. There was a general scuffle behind her, and a thud, but she couldn’t look back, couldn’t…

Fingers bloody with the man’s wounds, she found something, gripping it as she twisted and swung. A satisfying smack sent the man off of her, giving her enough time to shift up to her feet, glancing at what she held. A hatchet. Yes. Fuck yes. Baring her teeth, she screamed as she charged the man, swinging the hatchet even as he kicked out at her. The blade caught his calf with a sickening thud, sucking past flesh when she yanked it out, the wound spurting blood.

It was enough to stun the man. It was enough for her to keep screaming, bringing the hatchet down again and again, hitting flesh each time, cracking and smacking and blood everywhere. She followed him, hacking the whole time, tripping over his leg when he shoved away, feeling a sadistic sort of glee when she realized his leg was left behind as he tried to crawl away. He rolled over to try and paw towards something, his weapons, his bugs, something, but no. She just brought that hatchet down on his back, crunching through bone.

She kept hacking, unable to stop as her arms quaked, muscles like jelly from the strain. He’d touched her, hurt Barsad, tortured Barsad…she couldn’t stop. She had to make sure-

“Sep! Little bird! Look at me!”

His screams startled her, making her pause mid swing, head snapping up so she could stare at him. He was breathing hard, spattered with the spray of her attack, but his eyes were dark, focused on her.

“Cut the fucker’s head off, then get me out of this.”

She could do that. She could really surely do that.

A few more thuds of the hatchet, and only then did she finally let go of it, shoving at the body until she could get at his belt. The keys, yes the keys! She unhooked them after several tries, stumbling over to Barsad. He looked a wreck, smeared with so much blood, but…

“Oh god,” she gasped, reaching up to undo the cuffs that held him, not caring a single bit when he collapsed, dragging her down to the floor with him. It was better, even, because it let her hook her cuffed arms around him, squeezing tight. “Oh god, Barsad, oh god…”

“Shhh, little bird,” he whispered, pressing his face against her neck. “It’s okay, it’s okay, we’re going to get out of here. Come on, let’s get these cuffs off you. Come on, look at me.” He sounded so fucking weak, but she made herself listen, shifting her arms so he could find the right key to unlock her and his collar.

Even his collarbone was dark and bottled with blue and black bruises from the weight of the collar. His entire body was a wreck, bleeding, bruised, damaged in every way… It made her sob, hands fluttering over him, afraid to touch, afraid to-

“We need to get out of here, baby girl,” he whispered, catching her attention. “We have to go. We have to…we’ll die down here. Come on. Get up. We can do this.” Somehow, he struggled to stand, managing to haul her up with him. “We need to get out in the open. We need to…” He started to sag, shaking his head to clear it. “Grab a weapon. We don’t know if…just grab something.”

She grabbed the hatchet from the fucker’s head, gripping it tight as she headed to the door. “I…Let me take the front Barsad. I’m stronger right now.”

“I want to argue, I really do,” Barsad managed to chuckle, slumping against the door as he found the key to unlock it. “Just be careful, little bird.”

Stark naked, she moved as confidently as she could out of the room, eyes flickering over anything. It only took a few steps for her to realize why the bastard had been so careful. The walls bristled with nails lined with them…a wrong step and you could get stabbed. The further they went into the strange lair, the more she found traps of some kind, tripwires to step over, random blades sticking out of something…fuck. She almost wanted to go back and have another go at wrecking his body, but she had to get Barsad someplace safe.

“Holy fuck.”

No kidding. She glanced at the eerie display cases, swallowing down her bile. Those things were going to haunt her for the rest of her life.

“I…oh fuck he…right here? In front of his…” There was a shuffle, then Barsad promptly vomited as well.

“Geezus,” she gasped, whirling around. “Come on, don’t…don’t look at them.”

“He touched you,” he whispered, eyes blurred with tears as he finally looked at her. “He fucked you and I couldn’t do anything about it. I failed you.”

“No you didn’t! No, you saved me from his blades and…and that’s more than anything I could have ever asked for. Come on, it’ll be okay. I’m okay. I didn’t even feel it. It’s okay, Barsad, come on…” She hooked an arm around his shoulders, hauling him towards the doors she had spotted on the far wall. Before they even reached them, Barsad’s legs gave out, dragging them both to the floor. “Barsad! Get up!”

“Get…go get help,” he whispered, shaking his head. “I can’t…fuck. Just leave me here and-”

“If you keep going with that cliché shit I will fucking end you,” she hissed, wrapping her arms around him, trying to haul him up. “We’re leaving together or not at all! Now get up!”

“Sep,” he sobbed suddenly, startling her into slumping back into the ground again, with him on top of her. “Fuck. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry this happened to you, I wanted to be stronger for you.”

“Shut up,” she choked, pressing her face against his shoulder. “Just shut up. This isn’t your fault. Fuck. We’re getting out of here, okay?”

“I love you,” he sighed, body going limp. “More than anything else.”

“I love you too, Barsad.” Panic pounded through her chest as he passed out, but all she could do was lie there, holding on to him tight, terrified that something would sneak up on them if she let herself pass out too. No. No, she had to get them out. She wriggled out from underneath him, grabbing her hatchet and crawling to the door. The door was metal, but it was wood around it…her limbs screamed at her, but she started to hack at the frame around the door, desperation spurring her onward.

Every time she started to slump, she made herself look back at Barsad, and at the human insects on display. She couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop, had to get them out, had to get them free and-

Voices. Outside the door.

Dropping her hatchet, she pressed her ear against the crack between the door and the frame, straining to hear.

“The particulates came from a warehouse like this, I swear.”

“This is the fifth warehouse we have checked and we are wasting time. Can you round it down more-”

“Bane!” She screamed, throat going ragged in the middle of it as she started to pound her fists on the door. “Bane!”

“Habibi!” he roared back, his voice coming closer. “Move away from the door!”

She scrambled over to Barsad, dragging him into her lap as the door shook. Again and again it shook until it cracked along the frame, where she had been hacking. With a rumble, the door shifted and tipped, falling to the ground with a crack. Relief quaked through her as she saw Bane storm in through the doorway, mask and all, followed closely by Blake. “Bane!” She sobbed, clinging to Barsad tighter.

“Habibi,” Gasping, he skidded to her side, falling to his knees. “Oh gods, what…”

Tears of relief streamed down her cheeks as she slumped to the side, letting herself rest. Bane was there. Bane was finally there and they would be okay. Everything would be okay now.


	14. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weakness is more than okay when you know it's just a moment before strength.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving to any and all of my readers who celebrate it. As I will be doing most (actually all ugh) of the cooking today, I thought I'd be nice and give everyone a treat too...a new chapter! So if you have a moment of peace on this sometimes crazy day, here's another little chapter to entertain you with.  
> I also have a...well I attempted to draw Bane and Barsad and Sep. I'm not the best of artists, but oh well! To any who is interested, here it is!  
> http://sepzet.tumblr.com/post/133877986432/no-one-look-at-me-just-dont-look-at-me-ugh-okay

“…no apparent trauma beyond a few cracked ribs. Whatever punishment there was, he got the worst of it.”

“Of course. He is her mawla. He would never let anything touch her.”

“Regardless, I would like to speak to them both when they wake up.”

She supposed that was as good a time as any to wake up. She huffed as she slowly opened her eyes, staring up at the green ceiling…nice green. Blinking dumbly, she rolled her head, pleased to see Bane there. He stood in the center of the room, arms crossed as he glared down at…Commissioner Gordon? And Blake lingered beside them, glancing over.

“Shit,” Blake huffed, stepping over to her side, only to get swept out of the way by Bane. “Hey!”

“Habibi,” Bane cooed, cupping her face, his voice back to that familiar, mechanical rasp. “Are you…”

“I’m fine,” she sighed before tensing, flailing a bit. “Fuck! Where’s-”

“Right there, next to you.” He pressed a hand over her chest, keeping her down until she looked over at the bed next to her.

It was hard to see Barsad under all the tubes, the bandages, the blankets… Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him, looked at how he shuddered with each breath. “Oh god,” she sobbed, trying to roll over. “Please, I can’t…is he going to be okay?”

“Yes, habibi, he will. He just needs to heal. You both will be staying at the hospital for a while. We are safe here.”

She couldn’t help but look at Gordon, frowning. “But…”

“I…have been persuaded to turn a blind eye to your friends here,” he sighed, lifting a file. “Seeing as Bane helped us wipe out a serial killer gang. And I owed Blake a few favors…no matter how much it hurts to see Bane walking free.”

“A gang?” Fear constricted her throat. “What…”

“A gang under one leader. They killed however they wanted, so long as they marked their leader’s calling card over the body when they were done. A Cruce Salus…Blake and Bane captured five different killers before they found you two. The leader is on the ropes now, don’t you worry.”

“My anger only grew with each killer we found, without you there,” Bane rumbled, sitting on the edge of her bed, stroking her face. “I did not think I would find you covered in the offender’s blood.”

“I just…” Rage flashed through her. “I was so fucking tired of seeing him hurt Barsad. I let him fuck me and he still-”

“He touched you?” Bane’s expression became thunderous as he whirled, glaring at Gordon. “You said no trauma!”

“I was keeping that for her to say! It didn’t seem right to just…come out and say it.”

“It’s fine,” she sighed, slumping back. “I did it to take the attention off of Barsad. He kept…insisting on taking the torture on his own, not letting me suffer, so I did what I could to distract that fucker. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it would take some of the suffering off of him.”

Bane growled, turning away from Gordon. “The Collector was your captor’s calling card. He collected-”

“Bugs. Of various species. I know.” She looked away, closing her eyes tight. “God. I just…fuck. I’m going to have nightmares for years. I’m…” A shudder run through her, but she fought it, fought the urge to panic and throw up and scream. “He was going to make me into one of them, wasn’t he?”

Their silence was enough. She whined, low in her throat, trying not to think about it, trying not to panic, just…breathing. Just breathe. He didn’t. He never had a chance to. It was okay. He was dead, they were safe.

“We are going to stay in Gotham for a while, habibi. Here, you and Barsad can heal, and I can hunt down any remnants of that gang and destroy it for ever having been associated with your suffering.”

Poor Bane. He probably felt so helpless, hunting for them, not knowing where they were. God. Poor Bane. Seeing them, so wrecked, so hurt, and he hadn’t even been there… “It’s not your fault,” she whispered, reaching up to touch his mask, stroking over the coils. “You did everything you could.”

“Habibi,” he choked out, cupping his hand over hers, closing his eyes. “I pray that the attack has not made you fear spending time with Barsad, alone. I don’t want you to regret-”

“Please, Bane.” Her touch shifted, cupping his jaw as best as she could. “If anything I…I want to spend more time with him. I wanted to go on the date so I could show him…” She shook her head, letting her hand drop to the bed. “How long were we there?”

“Over a week.” Gordon dragged over a chair, settling down between her bed and Barsad’s. “I know it’ll be hard, but I’d like to ask those questions now, maybe have you tell me what happened.”

Gordon really did have a soothing face. It was enough to allow her to relax, close her eyes and start to describe what had happened. The box, his threats, Barsad antagonizing him all the time, taking all the suffering for himself. All the bugs, his silence…the hatchet. Oh the hatchet, how she hacked and destroyed and could not stop. She mentioned the traps, but the more she spoke, the more her voice trailed off, becoming weak and faltering.

When she finally stopped, she looked to Bane, startled to see tears dripping off his mask, his entire frame slumped by her side. He looked so weak… “Bane,” she whined, struggling to sit up. “It’s not your fault. You did everything you could. You broke down the door; I was too weak to get me and Barsad out. You were there right at the perfect time.”

“We should have found it sooner. I wish I could have faced the Collector myself. He would not have died so easily.”

“I hacked his leg off first, Bane. He kept trying to crawl away but I just kept hacking. He was aware for most of it.”

He chuckled, covering his eyes with a hand, breathing out shakily. “I suppose that helps.” His laughter faded, swallowing hard. “I am sorry you had to kill, habibi. I’ve never wanted blood on your hands.”

“I would do it again in a heartbeat. I wish I could have done more. I wish he could have felt all the pain that Barsad did…” She rolled her head a bit, looking over at Barsad. “I would not hesitate to inflict worse punishments on him. Fuck. If I’d had all my medicines with me, I really could have made him suffer.”

“Don’t worry about that now,” Bane squeezed her shoulder, slowly rising from the bed. “I will be here every moment that I am not hunting down those animals. Rest as long as you need.”

“Can do.”

He hummed, reaching up to undo various clasps, shifting and slipping his mask off. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek gently, cautiously, like she would be spooked by it. Not good enough. She gripped the front of his shirt and hauled him back in for a better kiss. She knew she had been…raped, but she still craved Bane’s touch, Barsad’s too. At least, she was fairly certain she did. All she knew was that kissing Bane made her relax, just a little, knowing he was there and the Collector was dead.

“I love you, habibi.”

“I love you too,” she sighed, slumping back, like she made to sleep. She heard Bane replace his mask, heard him murmur to Blake before they all left the room, closing the door solidly.

The moment she was alone, she tossed off her blankets, grunting as she rolled out of her hospital bed. Her muscles ached, but she didn’t seem to have anything hooked up to her. It left her free to stumble across the room, over to Barsad’s bed. Reaching up, she touched his arm lightly, not wanting to wake him, not wanting to hurt him. She just…had to be close to him.

“Why didn’t you let him torture me too?” She whispered, swallowing hard. “Why didn’t you let me help you that way? I wanted to. I wanted…” She wanted a lot of things, really. Always so needy, always wanting so much.

“I couldn’t bear it.”

“Barsad!” She huffed, reaching up to touch his shoulder lightly. She could see him fighting to open his eyes, but he was so tired, so weak. “Shh, shh it’s okay. It’s okay, we’re out of there, it doesn’t matter what happened. We’ll be okay now.”

He smiled weakly, shifting over a little, flinching. “Sleep with me, baby girl.”

“Baby girl?” She carefully hauled herself up into the bed, tucking in along his side, avoiding all the tubes and bandages as best as she could. “That’s new.”

“Do you like it?” His head lolled towards her, his eyes finally opening just a crack. “Thought I’d try it out.”

“It’s nice. I like it.” Reaching up, she rested her hand lightly on his cheek, stroking with her thumb. “You can call me whatever you want, and I’ll love it.”

He hummed, breathing out shakily. “Was Bane here?”

“Yes. Yes, he has it worked out so we can stay here as long as we need and heal. He’s even worked out a deal with the commissioner.”

“Oh yeah?” He managed a smile, nodding faintly. “Good. One less thing to worry about.”

“One less thing.”

It was a little hard to breathe. She wondered if it was panic, terror at what had happened, trauma since passed…but no. No, it was deeper, warmer, filled her up completely and utterly. Her fingertips felt a little numb with it, all-encompassing and intense. It was…confusing. Concerning. But she knew that looking into Barsad’s soft blue eyes made her feel better. Just seeing him there, smiling tiredly at her as he looked right back at her.

“Please don’t hate me,” he whispered suddenly, blinking rapidly. “I’m so sorry you…that he touched you. I’m so fucking sorry, I wish-”

“I could never hate you. God, Barsad, it was nothing. I hardly felt him. I invited the touch. It was fine, all fine. Trust me. I adore you, completely and utterly. I really, really love you.” She scooted in, hissing when he flinched, but still managing to press her forehead to his. “I always will. You are still my mawla. I trust you with my life.”

“I don’t deserve that trust, but thank you. Thank you, thank you…”

It was relief to see him fall asleep again. It allowed her to just lay there, touching delicately over his tired features, keeping every touch light. She didn’t want to spook him, wake him up…she wanted him to rest and sleep and wake up better than he had been. What happened to them was no one’s fault. Going on the date, being captured…it was an unfortunate bit of fate, but it was no one’s fault. She couldn’t blame anyone but the Collector for choosing them. Barsad did everything he could to keep her safe, tried to get her to run away, but she wouldn’t. She was so glad she didn’t abandon him to the Collector…god, she’d never be able to live with herself if she found him after the fact and he…it could have been so much worse. She had to believe that she managed to do something, that her presence helped somehow. She had to.

She dozed eventually, only waking when she felt a touch on her arm.

“I should have known better than to try and keep you separated.”

“Bane.” A tired smile coming to her lips, she reached out towards him. “I just…I was forced to stay away and watch him and…I don’t want him to be alone anymore.”

He rumbled faintly as he eased down onto the edge of the bed, clasping her hand in both of his. “I imagine that, after you both heal, you will be near inseparable.”

“Yeah?” That didn’t feel like such a bad thing.

“Trauma often brings people together far more tightly than anything else ever could. What you two suffered together…”

“This doesn’t change how much I love you, Bane,” she cut in, brow furrowing. “I still-”

“I know, habibi. I do not fear for that. I know I still hold both your hearts, but I know that you and he are truly intertwined now.” His touch was gentle over her hair, stroking slowly, soothing. “I am proud of you, habibi.”

“Yeah?” She sat up a little, casting a worried glance down at Barsad. “Why’s that?”

“You fought back viciously. You used your gender as a weapon, appeared weak to take away violence…and then you used it to strike back.” He glanced aside, blinking slowly like he did when he was considering his words carefully. “Blake and I returned to the warehouse. We found the Collector’s body. You did all that?”

“Yes. I wish I could have done more…but he was really dead, right?”

“Of course, habibi. I know it didn’t seem like it when you were his victim, but he was very human. Removal of both legs, severing his spine in four places, opening the back of his skull…no one could survive that.”

“Geezus. I did all that?”

“Rage is a powerful tool, habibi. It gave you strength when you had none. It took away your fear, your disgust in gore, everything but the need to survive. The need to protect. You saved Barsad, habibi. If you had not sought to do what you did, he would most definitely have died.” He stroked down over her cheek, thumb brushing over her lips. “You are a warrior.”

“So…will you train me? Can I be taught to fight?”

“I do not see why not. You have proven well that you wish to prevent harm from coming to us. If you are a healer, you might as well also use those skills to harm. You took your atomizers with you… you used them?”

“I got my personal concoction of pepper spray up his nose when he attacked. Didn’t do much…it could use some tweaking I think.”

He hummed, reaching over her to touch Barsad on the arm. “When you are both strong enough to move again, we will take you back to the cave. I can train you there, while I train Blake.”

“You’re training him?”

“Yes. I have seen how he moved in the night. He is not like Batman, which is good…but it is also bad. I am surprised he has not died yet.”

Snorting, she tucked herself back down in the bed, nuzzling against Barsad’s shoulder. “That bad?”

“Worse. I cannot, in good mind, leave him to get himself killed.”

“Softy,” she sighed, smiling when his heavy hand rested over the back of her neck, squeezing gently. It was soothing, really, to have it there. His skin warmed her, his strength firm, reassuring. He was there, he would protect them. He had had his moment of weakness, healing from the blast to his chest. But his weakness was done, was gone. Now was the time for him to be strong for them, care for them. She was grateful for it in so many ways, grateful for him…she was grateful for all of them. Grateful for Bane’s calm strength, his overreaching intelligence, his patient way of speaking. Grateful for Barsad’s fierce loyalty, his quick wit, his passionate manner of doing things. She just couldn’t believe her luck in all of it. Despite the attack on her, the horror she had seen, she didn’t regret a single moment of it. She wouldn’t redo it, not for a moment.

No matter what.


	15. Prospects

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Physical wounds heal fine, but its the mental and emotional ones that linger the longest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, if none of you have gotten mad about how OOC I make Bane in these things yet, maybe this latest chapter will do it for you. I mean I like how I write him as this big cuddly grumpy old bear, but I know...well who cares enjoy Bane getting corrupted slowly by Gotham's....prospects.

“Again. This time, do not stumble.”

“Hey, fuck you.”

“Later, if you do it better this time.”

She snorted loudly, not needing to look up to know that Blake was blushing deeply. She knew the man would deny it constantly, but Blake had to have some kind of crush on Bane. It was hard not to…Bane certainly had his own sort of allure. So wise, so strong and handsome…Blake could deny it as much as he wanted, but he had to be at least a little attracted to him.

Could be interesting. Blake was cute.

But she had enough on her plate.

Dabbing up more of her cream on her fingertips, she went back to stroking and massaging it slowly into Barsad’s skin. He was dozing well enough, head cradled in her lap, and she was determined to keep it that way. He had nightmares still, but he remained calm and sweet so long as she was there. Oh how she loved it, and she loved the chance to give him a slow, thorough facial.

Bane seemed to rejoice at how close the two of them had become. He didn’t try to separate them, only offering new opportunities for them to remain side by side. In the hospital, he pushed the beds together for them to share. When they left, he tucked them in the back of Gordon’s car at the same time, cradling them like children. And now, back in the Batcave, he let them snuggle in together all the time. When they pressed together at night, he cradled them both against his chest, stroking them until they fell asleep.

Bane was a protector; he always would be. Now he had her, had Barsad to protect.

Three months, and still they stayed in Gotham. It was a little more than a year since she had met them, a year since her life had changed entirely. She didn’t know if a year was long enough for her to know for certain, but she knew that Barsad seemed to be taking a long time to heal.

The trauma had been intense, and his body had to recover from a large amount of wounds, but he was just…taking his time. She didn’t blame him, not for a moment. He went through hell, so much pain, and he had to keep going through on the other side. He had a life he had to continue to live, so it would make sense for him to relax. It gave her time to train, to work on figuring out her medicines to be used offensively.

He felt fragile, and she would do anything to make sure that he did not break.

“You fight like a stronger man. This is a mistake. You will never be as strong as men like me, and your attempts to mimic us will only lead to your failure. Your strength is in your slight build, in the potential speed we could develop in you.” Bane swatted Blake’s attempts to grapple him aside, choosing instead to grip the back of his shirt and lift him like a puppy. “You train with less skill than habibi.”

“Hey, shut up. Not fair. She’s been trained by the League already.”

“She has not. I sent her there to be safe, not to be trained to fight. She will never be quick, nor will she be strong. She is ilahah, and she is made to wise, to flow like a spring rain. She has grace and sturdiness. I train her to take a blow, to turn such a blow into the most grievous mistake on her opponents’ part. Habibi is soft and beautiful, and I will not take that away by enforcing some outdated standard of strength and power on her.”

“The affectionate nicknames throw me the fuck off,” Blake snapped, wriggling in Bane’s grip. “Seriously, what the hell does all that gibberish even mean?”

“Habibi means ‘my beloved’, and ilahah is ‘goddess’.” She grinned when she felt Barsad’s lips shift into a soft smile. “And mawla means ‘protector’.”

“What is wrong with my use of endearing terms with those that I love?” Bane finally set Blake down, watching the smaller man storm over to his duffle bag.

“Because you’re Bane! You’re the man that broke Batman over your knee and tried to blow up Gotham! Knowing that you have a girlfriend is just…weird. It doesn’t fit right. You’re supposed to be some brooding loner with no connections to anyone.”

“Don’t forget my…” Bane glanced over towards her, lifting a brow. “Boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Blake straightened, pausing halfway through opening a bottle of water as he stared at her and Barsad. “So wait, all three of you…geezus. It’s like a…threeway thing?”

“Polyamorous open relationship, yes,” she sighed, running her fingers through Barsad’s hair, scratching at his scalp lightly. “So if you do want to have a go at Bane, I really would appreciate the chance to watch, if at all possible.”

Bane’s laughter rumbled through the cave as Blake sputtered and cursed, tossing the water bottle wildly in his apparent discomfort. “I forgot how close-minded the people of Gotham are, habibi.”

“I had too. Toxic city,” she agreed, looking down when Barsad hummed, rolling to tuck his face against her belly. “I’m eager to go home.”

“You know your parents rebuilt their mansion, right? You could go…home…” Blake paused, glancing between her and Bane. “You don’t mean that as home, do you?”

“Not even a little. It was never my home. My home is the temple of the League of Shadows now…I hope they don’t miss me terribly much there.”

“I am sure they pine for you day and night, habibi. You are their ilahah, and without you they are lost.” Bane gave up on training Blake for the afternoon, walking up the steps to the platform she rested on. With a soft groan, he eased himself down beside her, wrapping his arm around her even as he rested his other hand on Barsad’s neck. “I am sure they resent Barsad and I for coming along and taking you away.”

“Without you two, I would never have been their ilahah,” she pointed out, leaning against him. “I…think I want to add to my scars.”

“Oh? What would you like to add?”

“Both of your names, right over my heart. The Collector touched me, but his touch meant nothing because my skin, my body, it all belongs to you. I want it etched into my body. I want to have that reminder.”

“A fair request.” Bane turned, pressing his mask against the shaved side of her head just as Blake joined them on the platform.

Blake sat nearby, eyes flickering over them nervously. Poor kid. Still…

“I want to know more about you,” she started, smiling when Blake looked startled. “I only knew you for a little while, when I was with the police. You seem kind, smart…That interests me. Please, let’s talk.”

“About what?”

“About you. About anything. I’m curious as to why you are still so calm around the men that imprisoned your comrades and broke your friend in half.” She smiled wryly when she felt Bane’s chuckle. “You’ve done us a hell of a lot of favors by convincing Commissioner Gordon to turn a blind eye to us. I want to know why you would do that.”

“Oh. That.” He cleared his throat, looking out over the dismal cave. “My mother died in a car accident when I was too young to remember it, but I remember my father getting shot right in front of me. I’ve always been…angry. Angry about being orphaned, angry about people not understanding why I was so angry, angry that I can only do so much as a cop. I’ve been written up time and time again in the force for being a ‘hot-head’ when all I’m trying to do is help. And you…Bane, I thought you were angry. You seem angry. You were going to destroy a city to prove a point, and it scared me. I was worried that my anger was going to turn out like yours, that I was going to lash out and hurt someone just because of how angry I am. When you came back, I only agreed to an alliance because I was desperate. And then when those two disappeared…”

She had to glance up at Bane when she felt his grip tighten just a little. His brow was furrowed, his eyes a little hazy. She had wondered how Bane had responded to their absence.

“I never thought I could see you become so broken by the fear of losing them. I had thought you to be some…aloof, distant man that made no connections to anyone if it didn’t benefit you, but you…I had to believe that you were something completely different. Realizing that, I had to get Gordon to let you stay. I just…wanted to see. I wanted to understand what it was. I had to understand who the man was who was going to destroy the city.”

Bane rumbled, blinking slowly. “A wise choice, I believe. Allowing us to stay here also benefits you in that you will now learn to properly defend yourself as you defend the city.”

“Yeah, that helps too,” Blake laughed, running his fingers through his hair. “You’re doing me a huge favor by training me. You have no reason to do that for me.”

“You have helped us. It would be cruel of me to leave you to die.”

“Yeah, see, that’s weird. You’re being weird.”

Bane met her gaze, his brow lifting. “He reminds me of you.”

“Ouch.” She grinned all the same, meeting Blake’s gaze. “Wanna join in on our little cuddle party here?”

“God no. Geez. Too much…manliness in there.” He cleared his throat, glancing aside. “So uh…what did you guys want to do for dinner?”

“I was planning on cooking for you,” Bane shrugged, taking a moment to stroke his thumb over Barsad’s cheek before standing. “This dismal den has a kitchen, does it not?”

“Well…yeah?”

“Then I will cook. Could you prepare my scarf for me, habibi?”

“Of course.” She smiled up at Bane until he headed away, then turned to rummage through her bag of herbs and such, mixing and dripping it onto the soft scarf that Bane favored.

“What…why does he need the scarf again? He has his mask.”

“Because he can’t go into town with his mask on. People will recognize him.”

Blake blinked dumbly, even as Bane returned wearing a surprisingly tame t-shirt, as opposed to his usual quarter-sleeved shirt. “Why do you want to go into town?”

“To buy groceries. I cannot make food without food. Unless you are certain that this cave has more supplies than I assume?”

“You can’t go out into the city!”

“I have done it several times. Without my mask, no one recognizes me.” He knelt down beside her, closing his eyes as she started to undo his mask for him. “Everyone expects villains to be over the top, obvious at all times. They do not expect them to duck down, take on the aspects of a normal life. They do not expect us to need to buy groceries, nor pick up a bouquet of flowers for their lovers. I can hide in plain sight, just by acting plain.”

“Nothing plain about getting someone a bouquet of flowers these days,” she pointed out, drawing off his mask. Before he had the chance to reach for the scarf, she leaned up and caught his lips in a kiss, smiling into it when he immediately submitted into it. She took advantage, easing his arms around him to keep him there.

“Does that mean I should grab some for you?” He asked with a soft laugh, brushing his nose against hers.

“Only if you can guess what kind of flower I would want.”

He hummed, cupping her face thoughtfully, smoothing his thumbs over her cheeks. “I know you prefer trees and succulents to flowers, habibi.”

“Then I’m really interested to see what you will bring me.”

He smiled softly, turning his attention down to Barsad. “Sit up, brother. You get a kiss as well before I go.”

Barsad opened his eyes slowly, looking up with a sleepy smile. “Yeah?”

“Of course.”

He sat up slowly, carefully, before turning to face Bane. He looked pleased, closing his eyes when Bane cupped his cheek, leaning in to accept the kiss happily.

Definitely one of the hottest things she had the pleasure of witnessing. Had to remember to encourage them to kiss more.

“Bring back something sweet,” Barsad sighed when the kiss broke, reaching up to press a finger to Bane’s bottom lip.

“Are you having a craving, my brother?” Bane smiled, running his fingers through Barsad’s hair. “Would you rather I pick something up, or shall I make my basbousa you enjoy so much?”

“I didn’t even know that was an option. It takes a lot of time to make it, though…” Barsad fumbled for a moment, glancing aside. “I wouldn’t want you to-”

“It is a pleasure to make it for you. It is no trouble.” Bane pressed a kiss to Barsad’s forehead first, then her own, before picking up his scarf, wrapping it around his head. “I will not be long.” His eyes flicked over towards Blake. “Do you require a kiss farewell too?”

“Geezus,” Blake sputtered, turning away. “Just go.”

Bane waved faintly before heading out, and the cave fell into the low rumble of the waterfall. She looked to Barsad, who was inspecting his bandaged hands intently. Worry flickered through her, so she reached out and gently took his hands in her own, lifting them so she could press gentle kisses to each fingertip.

“How do they feel?” She murmured, reaching out to grab her medicine bag. “Do they ache?”

“A little.” He smiled weakly, then glanced aside. “I…kind of want to sleep a bit more.”

He was depressed, and she knew it. The only time he seemed somewhat happy was when she was holding on to him. He slept most of the time, kept his head down…unacceptable. He was her sweet mawla, and she could not bear to see him suffering.

“If you really want to. I was kinda hoping that maybe we could set up in front of that tv in the apartment and watch something stupid.” She started to unwrap his bandages, setting them aside so she could dab some mixtures over the stitches. “Leave the bandages off for a while. They need air to heal right.”

“Watch tv?” He slowly lifted his head, glancing over at Blake. “I guess we could do that.”

“Yeah? Would it freak you out too much if I cop a feel once in a while?”

A grin tugged at his lips, and he nodded faintly. “I suppose I could deal with that too.”

She stood up, stretching for a moment before looking at Blake. “Care to join us?”

“Uh…yeah I guess.”

“Cool.” She waited until Barsad stood before she ducked in, wrapping an arm around his middle. He always moved better when she was touching him. Otherwise, he shuffled like an old man, head down a bit. It concerned her, deep down. Surely Bane would have trained his men to handle torture…but Barsad seemed so broken by it. She wanted to ask about it, but that would most definitely make it worse. No need to bring up a painful subject when she didn’t need to. She could just support him, try and make him feel better.

Once in the apartment, she fussed with the pillows until she set up a good place the lean, tucking herself against it before insisting Barsad stretch out with her. He ended up using her bosom as a pillow, but it suited her just fine. It allowed her to hug him a bit, let him know she was there. Blake, however, just awkwardly chose a chair as she fiddled with the TV remote.

She chose cartoons, knowing those wouldn’t have any triggering messages in them. Plus, it had just enough humor to make Barsad hum in amusement from time to time. That was all she wanted. She just wanted him to have a little bit of happiness. Her attention flickered away from the TV, finally just focusing on Barsad, her hands stroking over his hair, over his shoulder, even leaning down to press kisses to the top of his head.

“Hey, so…” Blake started, glancing aside when she lazily turned her attention to him. “I didn’t have much of a chance to get to know you either, you know. So I thought maybe…we could talk a bit?”

“Mm. Do you mind, my mawla?”

“Not even a little, baby girl.”

She smiled, hugging Barsad a little tighter before turning her attention back to Blake. “Go for it.”

“Right. So how old are you again?”

“Twenty-” She paused, blinking. She’d known them for a year now? A little over a year. “I’ve totally missed a birthday.”

Barsad turned his head a bit, peering up at her. “Yeah? What month is your birthday?”

“August.”

He hummed, reaching up to brush his knuckles against her cheek. “We’ll have to make sure to celebrate it. We missed it by a month or so, I believe?”

“Only if you want to. I’m at the age where birthdays don’t matter as much.”

“Nonsense.” He turned back to his cartoons with a soft sigh. “We’ll celebrate it properly.”

She gave him another kiss before looking to Barsad again. “I think twenty-two, at this point.”

He nodded a little, looking down at his hands. “You’re at a good age then…Now I know you seem pretty happy with your life right now and all, not judgements there. But didn’t you ever want to, I don’t know…go to college? Get a job?”

Good question. She paused, rubbing her hand over Barsad’s chest as she thought idly. “I did, once, back when I lived with my parents. I wanted to go to a far away college, to establish who I wanted to be. I wanted the freedom, to meet new people, to explore myself. College was a means to do so. And as a wealthy citizen, there really was no need for me to get a job, though I did want to become an author. But if you’re asking me if I’d want to redo all of this, hell no. Despite the loss of these two while I was at the League, despite the attack…I wouldn’t change a single thing. I wish…I wish Barsad was never hurt, but I know it has brought us even closer together, and I wouldn’t trade that. Sorry.” She carefully cupped Barsad’s jaw, feeling a faint tremor there. “I adore you entirely, Barsad. You’re so beautiful and wonderful and you’re everything I could have wished for and more.”

He didn’t respond, just catching her hand so he could kiss her palm.

“Yeah?” Blake rubbed the back of his neck, shrugging slightly. “Wow. That’s uh…lucky? I guess?”

“You haven’t known love like this, then?” Trailing her thumb over Barsad’s lower lip, she admired his sharp features, feeling that familiar flutter in her chest.

“Nah. And I don’t think I believed it could happen…well, twice? I mean you three, all three of you…” He waved his hands vaguely. “It’s weird to me. Sorry for asking these questions, but everything I knew about the attackers of Gotham just seems weird now. I never really considered three people in a healthy relationship together. I’ve heard of it, but-”

“Movies only ever portray it as unhealthy love triangles,” Barsad cut in, turning his head to peer at Blake. “Humans were never meant to be monogamous. We started, as a species, as open, polyamorous creatures. Monogamy is sweet, but it is fascinating to see love bloom with more than one person. We are also open because some people are too ravenous to be satisfied by only one person.”

“I’m not that ravenous,” she mumbled, tucking nose into his hair. “I’m satisfied plenty with just you two.”

“Two is more than most have, little bird,” he chuckled. “I enjoyed watching you with Abdul-Hamid and Kojo, seeing them worship you. I am pleased that you crave more than most.”

“Could be fun to see you with another woman,” she pointed out, slipping a hand down the collar of his shirt so she could rub at his chest.

“Only if you find a woman much like you. Sometimes I’m surprised at just how very attracted I am to you, little bird, in the best way. You are pure perfection in my eyes.”

After a year, after all their flowery compliments, she still found herself blushing. “Sap,” she grumbled, confused by the men who chose to love her. “I just…don’t understand either of you.”

“I happen to like soft, sweet ladies that blush every time I look at them.”

She grumbled again, reaching and tweaking Barsad’s nipple, her frown turning into a grin when he yelped and laughed. “There it is.”

“There what is?” He clamped his hand over hers, through his shirt, trying to stop her groping. “It’s right where it’s supposed to be!”

She tweaked it again, snorting when he barked out another laugh. “Your laughter! Come on, you akrootah, let me at them sweet nipples.”

“Quit it!” He was wriggling then, trying to get away from her tickling fingers, laughter still bubbling out of him. “Those are mine!”

She shrieked when he managed to yank her arm out, flipping over suddenly and diving for her sides. “No!” She squealed, trying to push his tickling fingers away, bucking her hips a little. “No pinching my chub!”

“I’ll pinch all I want!”

All the flailing and complaining eventually ended up with him clasping her wrists, pinning them down over her head. It was certainly pleasant to feel his weight on her once more. It was like he had been too scared of late to touch her, to initiate anything sexual… she wanted him to. She wanted to feel his warm, gentle touch, the way he looked like the whole world was crashing down on him when she made him come…it was beautiful. He was beautiful, really, and-

“Ah.” A touch of guilt flashed over his eyes as he let go, starting to pull away. “I-”

“Barsad. Please,” she whispered in a rush, leaving her hands above her head. “He never pinned me down. He hardly touched me. It’s okay.”

It did make him hesitate, searching her expression for some lie. “I don’t want anything about my touch to be associated with him.”

“And nothing will. There are absolutely no similarities between the two of you. I swear, you will never be tainted by the memory of him. I swear.” Please let him believe her. Please let him touch her again, need her again, love her again…

“I just love you so much, Sep,” he choked, cupping her face with one hand, propping himself up a bit on his other arm. “I just want to make sure you’re happy and healthy and-”

“And you do. You do, so much.” She finally reached up and cupped his face, trying to steady him. “I want you all the damn time. Nothing will ever change that. You could never hurt me.”

He let out a soft huff, leaning down and kissing her hard. She arched into it immediately, pressing her hands into his hair to keep him close, kissing back with everything she could. He had to know that she had nothing but absolute love for him. She could not place a single one of his actions into a bad part of her brain, never associate anything bad with him. He was her mawla, witty and quick, his easy smile warming her to the core time and time again.

“Um.”

Right. Blake. She was unwilling to stop kissing Barsad, but she supposed they might be being a little rude. Still, she took her time breaking it off, pressing one last, small kiss to the edge of his lips. “Later.”

“Later,” he agreed, rolling off of her.

God, that warmed her even more than it should have. Maybe she was helping him out of his depression…maybe. She had to hope. She hated seeing him so broken. She didn’t think guilt could do so much to someone, but he truly felt it deep down, like he had failed her. She’d help him understand that she was okay. She had to.

Sitting up, she ran her fingers through her hair, sighing heavily. “Right. Sorry.”

“Oh no, don’t…I am kind of intruding, aren’t I?” He cleared his throat, glancing towards the door. “Maybe I should-”

“Stay. It already says a lot that you’ve stayed for much of this. You could have left after Bane finished training you today, you know.” She smiled a little, leaning closer to the now blushing Blake. “Perhaps you do like us a little bit.”

“I just…” He flapped a hand a bit, coughing. “I liked you, back with the whole city thing. You were nice and it wouldn’t feel right leaving you alone with these guys.”

“These guys are also my boyfriends, you know,” she pointed out. “I love them dearly and have attempted to have sex with them on a regular basis but that’s gotten a lot harder of late. Bane knitted me a blanket and Barsad regularly teaches me cursewords in other languages. They’re…” She waved her hands vaguely, searching for the word. “They’re muffins. I swear. Bane gets grumpy in the mornings because his joints are all creaky and Barsad dutifully gives us back massages. Or he did. It’s been a little while. But that’s not the point. They’re men. They do things that men do. Regardless of the fact that they attacked the city.”

“I hardly think I’m a muffin,” Barsad protested, scooting over to wrap an arm around her middle. “More of a funnel cake, maybe.”

“I suppose that’s a fair assessment.” Resting a hand over Barsad’s, she shrugged. “Anyways, I liked you too, you know. Back then…when Barsad found me, he asked me what we should do with you. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you; you were just doing your job. And I already felt like shit for being some damsel in distress.”

“You’ve always been our ilahah,” Barsad pointed out, sitting up. “Perched on that balcony like an angel, radiant.”

“Quit it.” She grabbed a pillow, swatting Barsad with it. “Anyways. I’m glad we met up again, is what I’m saying.”

Blake smiled slightly, nodding. “I’m glad too. Despite the trickery about the pregnancy thing and me getting tackled. Which hurt, mind you.”

“I imagine it did.” She felt a little ridiculous in that moment, hoping that maybe Blake also liked her, but she put that out of her thoughts quickly. She wasn’t that lucky, and she certainly wasn’t that attractive. Despite what Barsad and Bane said all of the time. Blake was too cute and too charming to ever have a thought about her and-

“There is a deplorable amount of instant noodles in this kitchen and I will personally snap you like a towel for that, child!”

Blake went pale right as she snorted. “Bane’s home,” she said brightly, slipping out of bed. “Let’s go see if he needs help.”

“But the noodles.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s not snapping anyone like a towel. Though that would be fun to see.” She made sure to turn, catching Barsad’s hand. She was positive he was going to follow her into there anyways, but it always made him brighten up when she put in the effort to grab hold of him.

Just as they entered the kitchen, Bane was dumping an obscene amount of packaged noodles into a cardboard box. Already grumbling, he shoved the box to the end of the counter, turning back to his own bags of groceries.

“Welcome back,” she said brightly, trotting forward for a kiss hello. Blake, however, lingered in the doorway, presumably still fearing his fate as a towel. “How was the grocery store?”

“So many processed foods in the city,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I managed to find a market, though.”

“Oh?” She tipped up on her toes, trying to peer into the bags. “Get anything good?”

“I did indeed. Come, brother, I have a treat for you.”

Barsad let out a happy sound, pressing against the counter beside her, trying to peer in as well. His eyes fairly lit up when Bane pulled a small container of golden honeycomb from a bag. “I didn’t think a city like Gotham would have such a thing.”

“Nor did I. But it was certainly a pleasant surprise.” He popped open the container, plucking up a knife to carve off pieces, offering to container to Barsad first. Barsad snatched the biggest chunk, slipping it past his lips with a happy mumble, licking the sticky goo off his fingers. She took a smaller piece, smiling at Barsad’s joy at the treat. Bane turned, offering the container to Blake. “Come, it is good for you.”

“Yeah?” He edged forward cautiously, glancing at her. “But the comb is in it.”

“You chew it, like gum. The comb will not harm you. When the taste is done, you can spit out the comb.” To demonstrate, Bane inhaled deeply from his scarf before tugging it down, choosing a piece for himself.

It was a little sinful, watching Bane slip the honeycomb past those plush lips of his. She was fairly certain she spotted a blush on Blake’s cheeks, but she made a point of not staring too terribly much.

“The comb is good for you though, so I eat it as well.” Bane replaced his scarf, offering the container again. “You are small and pale. The honey will provide antioxidants, perhaps enhance your immune system. I insist.”

Blake frowned at the commentary about his appearance, but accepted some honeycomb as well. His brows lifted at the taste, pleased.

“The rest is for you, though,” Bane finally said, handing the container back to Barsad. “To tide you over until the basbousa is finished.”

“As much as I enjoy it all being for me, don’t you love honey just as much?” Even as he complained, he plucked up another piece of it.

“Indeed I do. However, I imagine I will have a hard time resisting the basbousa when it is finished, and I cannot indulge too much.”

“Why not?” She piped up, grinning and accepting the piece of honeycomb Barsad held out for her. “You enjoy sweets?”

“I do. Too much. I have to keep my body in proper form, though.”

“Aww, don’t want to get chubby? I think you’d be hella cute with a little chunk there,” she teased, reaching down to pat over Bane’s hard stomach. “My chunky old man.”

He grumbled, but continued removing groceries from the bags.

“That reminds me. How old are you, Bane?”

“I have no idea.” He finally pulled away to remove his scarf completely, washing his hands to start prepping raw chicken. “I was put down in the Pit when I was young. I have no idea how long I was down there, how long I trained. There is surely no record of me in any system, so we cannot find any traces of my age. Does it matter?”

“Maybe. We were talking about birthdays earlier and I just realized I didn’t know how old you were. How about you, Barsad?”

“I am thirty six years old, little bird,” he mumbled around a mouthful of honey, thoroughly wrapped up with his food. “Too old for you?”

“Sounds about right, actually,” she said helplessly, shrugging. “I always found myself getting attracted to older men because of how much more mature they are. Plus I am a fan of the bearded look, and people my age have a harder time pulling that off. So it just…makes sense.”

Bane glanced over at Blake. “And how old are you?”

“Eh? Oh, I’m thirty two.” He rubbed the back of his head a bit, letting out a nervous laugh. “Any reason why?”

“You are an appropriate age for habibi, then.” Bane glanced to her as he turned back to his food. “Do you find her beautiful?”

She and Blake fumbled at the same time, glancing at each other nervously. “Don’t be playing matchmaker again, Bane,” she whined, color rising to her cheeks.

“Why not? It worked out last time.”

“He sets you up with other people?” Blake asked weakly, joining Barsad at the small dining table. “Why?”

“Because we like to watch,” Barsad pointed out, closing the container of honey, having already eaten all of the comb. “We like to see her worshipped by as many people as possible. We are human, and at times we cannot keep up with how much she craves. We find that having many men helps.”

“Oh. Uh. They have clubs for that, you know.”

Bane paused in his cooking, looking at Blake. “Explain.”

“Bane, please.”

“Hush, habibi. You. Explain.”

“It’s just…there’s these fetish clubs in the city? You go in, and there’s all these different people just there for sex? I had to go into one once when I was a cop because there was a report of a pervert, which didn’t make all that much sense, but still. Anyways, there was this arena for open orgies and then these rooms where you could either have your privacy or have smaller orgies and…I dunno, if you want to uh…find people to uh…satisfy her, that’s a good place to start?”

Bane let out a low hum, returning to the task at hand. “Interesting. Perhaps there is some good in Gotham. However, before we attend such a club, I do insist on an answer.”

“An answer to what?”

“Do you find her beautiful?”

“Bane!” She fumbled, feeling oddly panicked. “Pearl!”

He fumbled, dropping the knife he had been using instantly. Washing his hands quickly, he swept to her side, cupping her face with both hands, still damp with water and soap. “What is wrong, habibi? Why have you used that word?”

“I don’t want him to answer. I don’t want to hear it.” She swallowed hard, ducking her head slightly. “I’m afraid of his answer, okay? You guys find me pretty, which I don’t understand, but I don’t want to push my luck. Please don’t force it out of him. I…” Sadness trickled through her as she looked down, avoiding those concerned, cloudy eyes. “At many of those rich parties I was forced to attend, men would stand all around me and praise the other women at the party, at their beauty. Never a word was said about me. It hurt more than being told I was ugly right to my face. I don’t want to experience that again. It hurts too much.”

“I understand, habibi. I apologize for causing you discomfort.” Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he pulled her into a hug. “I am just confident that all men desire you, that is all. Perhaps you should join Barsad at the table while I cook.”

“Okay.”

She ended up cuddled up in Barsad’s lap, dozing a little while Bane cooked, preparing quite a tasty smelling dish. Blake managed to pick up some thread of conversation with Bane, talking back and forth about training and practicing what he had learned. Quite down home. Still, she wondered if Blake did find her cute, if even a little. It was funny with how much she wished men would praise her beauty like they had for other women, but when Barsad and Bane told her she was beautiful, she still couldn’t really believe it.

“Wake up, habibi, dinner is ready.”

“Mm?” She didn’t entirely want to move, not with how Barsad kept pressing gentle kisses to her brow. “What’d you make?”

“I made ruz al bukhari bil dajaj. It is a rice dish with roasted chicken. By the time we are done, my basbousa is finished.”

“If you are so loathe to move, I could feed it to you,” Barsad mumbled, ducking his head down to press a kiss more firmly to her lips. “I would take great pleasure in it.”

“I can feed myself,” she finally sighed, shifting out of Barsad’s lap. “Not that I wouldn’t enjoy the hell out of that.”

Bane set out large bowls of what he had cooked, adding bowls of potatoes and cups of yogurt. When they all settled in to eat, she noted after a moment that she and Blake had forks and spoons to eat with, while Bane and Barsad used their fingers, gripping the rice with ease, eating with far more skill than she thought anyone could have when it came to eating. She watched, utterly fascinated, wishing she could be that skilled…

“Do you know this city well, Blake?” Bane finally asked, plucking up a piece of roast chicken, focusing on peeling the flesh from the bone.

“Ah…I like to think so.” Blake shrugged, smiling wryly. “I spent a lot of time wandering the city when I was in the boy’s home. Staying in the home all day was really not as fascinating as they seemed to think it would be.”

“Good. Would you perhaps be willing to show me the locations of several places in this city?”

“I…guess. It depends on what it is that you would want to see.”

“You stated a knowledge of clubs used for group sex. I was wondering if you knew of any shops that sold any kind of sexual tools and toys?”

Blake and Sep choked at the same time, but she recovered considerably quicker. “You are showing a remarkable interest in sex, Bane,” She coughed out, patting her chest. “Why do you want to find toys?”

“Barsad has been showing me the internet in his spare time, when you are sleeping. I have learned there is an entirely expanded upon aspect of sex that I was not aware of. As you are voracious in your appetites, habibi, I had thought that the addition of toys would add more variety and satisfaction for you.”

“Oh geezus,” she sighed, covering her face with her hand. “You don’t need to do that.”

“I insist. There are several items I have been meaning to obtain for you, but have not have the proper timing. I also now want to get something for you, Barsad. I had not thought to get it before, but after this attack…” Bane paused, turning sad eyes towards his companion. “I feel it is best that I get one for you as well.”

Barsad’s eyes dropped to his plate as he shrugged slightly. “I trust your judgement, brother, as I always have.”

“Your trust is well placed in me. I will not fail you in what I intend to do.”

“I could…take you to a shop,” Blake finally said, shrugging a little. “I just…have one condition.”

“Always bargaining,” Bane sighed, but there was a hint of fondness in his tone. She was certain that Blake did not recognize the warmth there, but she certainly caught it. “What is it you require as payment now?”

“I want to watch.” Blake blushed hard, clearing his throat. “I want to watch all three of you together at some point. A large part of me still believes that a threeway relationship can’t work out. But you three…I don’t know, I feel like you guys would help convince me.”

“If we are to allow that, then I also have a condition.”

“I don’t think you’re supposed to be able to do that.”

“If I am to allow you to watch as we pleasure our ilahah, then I will dictate as much as I please. If we allow you to watch, you must swear to join in if the desire hits you, or if she begs for you.” Bane’s eyes narrowed as he brushed his scarf over his nose, inhaling his medicine. “I will not have habibi denied her pleasures.”

“Bane,” she whined, kicking at him under the table. “If he doesn’t want to-”

“Deal.” Blake glanced over, biting his lip for a moment. “I think I would, maybe, jump at that chance.”

“Tell her.”

Blake faltered, setting down his fork. “Uh. Well, I think you’re really…really beautiful but you’re also kind of intensely intimidating?”

“Intimidating? How so?” She was more than curious now, looking at him fully.

“Well, you’re the most sexually confident woman I have ever met. You know what you want, how much you want it…and you stood up to a hell of a lot of scarification. You’re strong, of that I have no doubt. You kind of act like this goddess sometimes, with those two as your servants. I’m almost afraid to touch a woman as confident as you, like you could eat me alive or something.”

“Ilahah,” Barsad chuckled. “An appropriate title for her, brother.”

“Indeed.”

She didn’t much care about their conversation. Her stomach was doing little flips, knowing that Blake was attracted to her. He was super cute in a more…publically accepted way, and he liked her. She smiled a little, toes curling in her sneakers, just pleased with the knowledge.

Something brushed her knee, making her look up in surprise, into Barsad’s warm gaze. “You are glorious, my love. Someday you will truly accept that.”

“I’m getting there.”

She really, really was.


	16. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As much as they all like the temple, they must admit...Gotham does have its benefits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it OOC yet?

She was getting spoiled, that was what was going on.

She let out a sharp squeal of laughter as she was scooped up around the middle, hefted up and carried. “Hey!”

“The ground below you is wet, little bird! I can’t have you getting your shoes dirty!”

“Barsad!” She continued to giggle, trying to wriggle and escape his grasp. “Help me!”

Bane rumbled softly, reaching out to catch her ankle, squeezing softly. “Relax your body. Go dead weight.”

“Don’t tell her that!” Barsad gasped, grunting when she went limp, making him falter in his pace down the street. “The pull of earth on our ilahah has increased! Blake, help me!”

“Hey now, leave me out of this,” he said weakly, waving his hands vaguely. “Keep all your sap to yourselves.”

She was still giggling, even when she was set on her feet. She made sure to turn and swat Barsad on the arm, trying to look cranky for a moment, only for it to melt away when he lunged in and kissed her. When the kiss broke, Bane caught her and stole a kiss of his own from her.

Spoiled indeed.

“Come on, we’re almost to the shop,” Blake sighed, hopping ahead a bit, ducking his head as a few passing people looked at them strangely. “You’re all too damn affectionate for this city.”

“We will be as affectionate as we damn well please,” Barsad hummed, catching her hand, squeezing it tightly. “This city can just learn to deal with it.”

Bane rumbled his agreement, moving up beside her as well, draping his arm around her shoulders. “They merely stare out of a deep rooted jealousy. I will never take such a thing personally.”

Completely decadent, really. Walking down the street with both of her boyfriends…she was sure they got more than a few strange looks all the time. She knew they were an odd sort of couple, with her being short and chubby, and them, tall and fit and stunning. They were absolutely beautiful, and they were hanging on to her like she was the only thing that ever mattered to them. From terrorist to overly affectionate boyfriends, she wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Gotham…she didn’t know if it benefitted at all from the failed destruction of it those months back. From the attack by the Collector to the way everyone seemed to skulk around in the normal neighborhoods, she started to consider that maybe it really should have been blown up. She didn’t want people to die, but she had to admit; Gotham was scum. Unless you were in the rich neighborhoods, everyone looked scared, and with good reason, as she knew personally. The city was dangerous in many ways, and everyone knew it. If they just had a chance to start over, maybe…

“Here it is.” Blake paused, rubbing the back of his neck. “The biggest sex shop in Gotham.”

“Holy shit,” she gasped, peering in the window. “They have some primo toys!”

“You know of sex toys?” Bane chuckled, slipping his hand into her hair, kneading the back of her neck gently.

“Of course. I had a few back at home, with my parents. I did my share of research.”

“Have any favorite toys you’d like to have again?” Barsad piped up, peering over the selection. “Maybe they have it here.”

“Well I did have a favorite dildo, but I don’t really need that anymore when I have you guys.” She hummed at the thought, remembering how she had used it before. “And it wasn’t as fun either. Though it was rainbow colored.”

“I’m afraid we can’t provide that for you,” Bane said slowly, as if he had considered the possibility of being so brightly colored. The three of them snorted and laughed at Bane’s comment, making him grumble and grip the back of her neck more tightly. “Come along, habibi, let us see what catches your eye.”

“Don’t say that. You’re going to make me want to pick out everything!” She teased, poking him in the side.

“Then do that. I do not mind.”

“Wh…what? But that would be…like, thousands of dollars. Don’t joke around with me.”

“I am not. The League is well funded. Acquiring items to keep our ilahah satisfied is a wonderful use of our funds. Wouldn’t you agree, brother?”

“I think the League would donate all their savings so you could buy out the entire store, honestly. Well, maybe if they got to watch you use your new toys.”

“Well.” She cleared her throat, nodding a little at the thought. Such freedom in a sex shop…it was like a dream come true. She had some awful dreams, but still. “Let’s get to it, shall we?”

They started to head inside, but Bane paused, looking over his shoulder at Blake. “You are welcome to join us.”

“Oh geez. Uh. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself in there. I’m fine just…waiting out here.”

“I insist on it. You can stay by habibi’s side while I speak with some of the shopkeepers. If you are to participate later, then you must participate now.”

“Alright alright, I’ll go in,” Blake said in a rush, trotting forward to catch up with them. “Just don’t blame me when I’m hella awkward.”

“You can be awkward with me,” she said brightly, looking around happily at all the brightly colored toys. “Oh wow they have a whole display of Lelo…”

“Awkward, my ass,” Blake grumbled, hunching his shoulders as he trailed after her and Barsad, glancing around at the other people there. “Why do you know all the names of these things?”

“Because I did research back in the day,” she shrugged, plucking up one of the displays, feeling the material as she read over the information card. “Barsad?”

“Yes, baby girl?”

“Did Bane tell you another reason why we’re here? Because somehow I doubt that we’re just here for me to pick out a few toys.” Bane never did anything part way. He had an underlying reason for everything, and this time had to be no different. He had plans, and she wanted to know what they were.

Barsad hummed, resting his hand on her lower back. “Your training is going very well, little bird. However, Bane believes you would benefit greatly if we found some way to give you strength.”

“Hey! I thought you guys liked me all chubby….” Doubts flickered through her, a hand pressing over her belly.

“We do! Gods above, we adore how soft you are. We don’t want you to lose weight, not at all. But we would like to give you more force to these muscles, so when you fight, you can cause more damage. We do not wish to change you, only enhance.”

“Okay…so how does coming to a sex shop make me stronger?”

“Because we needed to find a form of exercise that you would take to, enjoy doing. And you crave sex more than anyone else I have ever known, and sex is an excellent form of exercise. Bane has continued to do research on…exercise that involves sex, and he has found a few methods that interest him. We are here to get the items necessary to start your exercise regimen.”

“Oh. Care to give me a hint on what you’re getting?”

“Hell no. I can’t wait to see the look on your face.”

Pouting, she glanced over, spotting Bane sitting in the far back of the shop with no less than three of the shop workers. He looked quite calm as he spoke while the workers frantically wrote down notes, one of which looked more than a little gleeful at whatever it was he was saying. He noticed her look, turning his head to nod to her a little, pressing two fingers to his scarf-covered mouth in his silent kiss that he sometimes gave her. She waved slightly, blushing when the workers looked over, feeling downright horrified when some of them giggled, one giving her two huge thumbs up. Geezus. What the hell were they talking about?

“Hello,” came a cheerful greeting, startling her into peering at a spunky woman. “First time to our shop?”

“Indeed it is,” Barsad agreed, wrapping his arm around her, squeezing her.

“Would you like me to tell you about our shop a little? We like to offer the full experience to everyone who comes in our doors.”

“I don’t see why not. We expect to be here for a while.”

“Good! So what are we shopping for today?”

“We’re spoiling this baby girl right here.” Barsad turned his head, kissing her temple. “Spoiling her completely rotten.”

“We?” Bless this girl, she didn’t falter for even a moment.

“That’d be me and him…and possibly this quiet fellow here, if he ever decides monogamy isn’t a requirement.”

“Him?” The shop worker followed Barsad’s point, her eyes widening. “Oh you’re…”

Sep tossed her hands up in exasperation. “Why does everyone but me know what the hell is going on?”

“Because it’s a surprise. And hey, Blake has no idea what’s going on.”

“That’s true.”

“Not helping,” she pointed out, tucking her hair back behind her ear as she looked shyly at the worker. “So um…what’s your name?”

“I’m Rebecca. Allow me to give you all a tour of the shop!” Rebecca moved on, and with Barsad’s reassuring smile, they all moved to follow her. “As you can see, we have a wide selection of toys, such as vibrators, anal plugs, ticklers and the like. We have a cheaper section up front, but those are for those who come in here as a gag. Everything else is high grade silicone, seamless, rechargeable, powerful. Here we have our fetish clothing section. We have latex, leather, lace, everything you can think of. We also sell various forms of fetish gear, like hoods, or accessories for various forms of pet play. We have standard sizing, but we also offer a measuring service for custom made gear.”

Sep’s eyes were wide as she looked at the selection. It was…intense to see all of the gear in front of them. She didn’t even want to think about how expensive it was for all of that gear, let alone for custom…wait. Her attention snapped back towards Bane. “Oh my god he’s getting custom gear.”

“Hush, you’re not supposed to guess your surprise.”

“The hell? What kind of gear-”

“Since you know part of it, might as well get you measured now, instead of trying to find a sneaky way to trick you into it.” Barsad grinned, damn him, as he turned to the shop associate. “Anything else we should know?”

“Well, yes. We have the measuring and changing rooms over there, but then we have the back room. The back room is a place where our valued customers can test out their recent purchases. We ask that all sales are final before any of our products are taken back there, as it can be…quite messy.” Rebecca blushed as she said this, glancing from Sep to Barsad, and back again. “You um….I am seriously jealous.”

“Of?”

“You!” Rebecca fumbled a bit. “I mean, you have two, maybe three gorgeous boyfriends? I’m so totally jealous. And they want to spoil the hell out of you and ah, you’re so lucky.”

Sep grinned, looking up at Barsad immediately. He just grinned back, leaning down to give her a quick kiss. She was so happy that other people could see it too, could understand just how awesome her life was with her lovers.

“Come on, my spoiled ilahah, let’s get you measured for your surprise.”

And measured she was. Everything. Her wrists, her arms, the length, the width. Every inch of her was measured, Rebecca deftly writing them down around the frame of a human body she had sketched on a piece of paper. It was…quite thorough.

“Goodness,” she gasped, glancing down at where Rebecca’s hand was crammed up against her crotch. “Um.”

“Inseam. I apologize for all the groping.” She smiled up at her, patting her knee. “You are a lucky, lucky girl.”

“Yeah?” She had to smile at that point, despite all the touching and groping. “Thank you. I feel hella lucky.”

“Okay, so I know it’s supposed to be a secret but this is too good and I kind of want to be a part of this. The amount and quality of gear your big boyfriend is getting is…wow. He wants a rush job too, but he wants the finest quality our craftsmen can make and it’s…it is intense. Do you know how much money he’s putting down for you? Holy crap. I am…super jealous.” She sighed wistfully, sitting heavily on the floor of the dressing room. “And oh god, they’re…they’re beautiful. You know that?”

“Oh I know.” She dropped down so she was kneeling in front of Rebecca, grinning so wide her face hurt. “The way they worship me…they call me their ilahah, their goddess. Or malika, queen. And…” She swallowed hard, touching her fingers to her lips. “Habibi. Their beloved. I can never understand how they could have chosen me, but…” She shrugged, letting her hand drop again. “But I’m going to enjoy the hell out of it while I have it.”

Rebecca laughed softly, nodding a bit. “Wow. You’ve got the dream going on.”

“Hell yeah I do. Now come on, let’s get my measurements all done with.”

“Right. Totally.”

Bane was waiting for her just outside the dressing room when she was finished with getting groped. Love swelled in her chest at the sight of him, making her hurry forward, pressing into his arms. All that gear, just for her. All for her, their spoiled little ilahah. She wished she could properly express it all to them…it was all too much. Too much to bear, too much to return…

“I love you, habibi,” he breathed, stroking her hair back. “More than I thought I could love anyone.”

“Geezus,” she gasped, gripping his shirt tight, steadying herself. “Let’s not make me cry while surrounded by all these dildos. Come on.”

He rumbled out a laugh, kissing the top of her head. “I am merely trying to reassure you of my intents. Sometimes I have a hard time properly expressing myself.”

“I doubt that.” She made herself step back, taking a deep breath. “Now. You said you’d buy me a toy or two.”

“Indeed I did. You have the entire store to choose from, habibi. Pick whatever you like.”

“Barsad,” she called out weakly, relieved when he moved to her side immediately. “Help me choose?”

“Why don’t you just choose the entire store? If you don’t want to choose,” he teased, wrapping his arms around her middle, pressing his face into her hair. “I’ll help you test all of them when we get them home…”

It took much of her strength to not cry in relief. Barsad acting this way, easily, like he used to…they could move past the incident with the Collector. They could get better. He didn’t limp anymore, didn’t flinch away from certain touches…he was healing. Oh thank the gods, he was healing, he was returning to his spunky, playful self.

“Tell me what you want, little bird,” he whispered, lips brushing against her neck.

Her breath hitched, so overwhelmed with so much emotion that it was really, really difficult to breathe and respond and… “I want all three of you to fuck me in the back room,” she said in a rush, wriggling a little in his grip.

“Oh,” Blake said weakly, cowering a little when Bane’s arm slipped around his shoulders. “Um.”

“If you deny her, as well as deny yourself, I will break you over my knee.”

“When you talk like that, I am really scared to find out if you are joking.”

Bane’s gaze flickered down to Blake. “Care to test me?”

“Not even a little. The back room you said?”

“This way, little bird,” Barsad whispered, clasping her hand, tugging her towards the back. “Anything new you want to try while we’re back there?”

“Lots of stuff.”

The back room really resembled a dressing room, with a main walkway and several, smaller booths. Barsad guided her into one of the larger ones, pressing her against a wall before pressing against her, roughly slotting his lips over hers, kissing hungrily. She didn’t hesitate to cup his face, kissing back just as hard. She’d craved her mawla for ages, needing to know he was okay, that he still wanted her. She knew they were bonded, but there were her doubts, always her doubts.

“I know you probably want to have a taste of Blake, since he’s new, but-”

“You first.”

Relief filtered over Barsad’s face before he dropped to his knees, undoing her pants to yank them down, merely shoving her panties aside before leaning in, lapping at her cunt hungrily.

The sound she let out was absolutely embarrassing, but seeing her mawla on his knees for her, eating her out like nothing else mattered…it was a relief, more than anything, feeling his tongue slide against her perfectly, drawing out her shivers, her moans, her frantic need to touch.

“Geezus.”

“Habibi is voracious in her appetites. I find it quite impossible to deny her,” Bane admitted, closing the stall door once they were all inside. “I believe you will find her to be quite stunning when she comes.”

“Can you guys shut up for a moment,” she gasped, gripping a handful of Barsad’s hair so she could start to grind on his tongue. “Barsad is…legitimately trying to eat me right now holy shit…” Head thudding back against the wall, she moaned louder when he slipped his fingers inside her. “Barsad…”

“Witness the bond made by containment and suffering,” Bane breathed, cupping the back of Blake’s head, guiding him forward. “Now kiss her.”

Blake’s kisses were sweet, almost innocent, no matter how he started to grind against her with need. Still, it was perfect when Barsad moved behind her, cradling her back against his chest, rubbing her clit for her while Blake fucked her. He whispered such filthy, adoring things in her ear the whole time, telling her how beautiful she was, how he loved her more than anything else in the world. He even picked her up, holding her legs, spreading her open so Bane could take her.

“I failed you once, Sep,” he whispered in her ear, his breath hot on her already feverish skin. “No one will ever fucking touch you without your express and consistent permission. I will gut anyone who ever hurts you, I swear it. I swear on my life, no one will ever harm you. Ever.”

“And I promise you,” She whispered back, her words broken by her gasps, her entire body shaking as Bane pressed in deep, choking her off. “I will sooner burn this city to the ground than let you take another blow that was meant for me.”

Barsad moaned, grip tightening on her. “God dammit, baby girl, you’re…you’re gonna make me come just from talking like that.”

“I fucking mean it. The Collector died too fucking fast for what he did to you. I wish…” Her chest heaved as rage and pure pleasure coursed through her. “I wish I could have him again, and this time, I’d burn flesh from bone with my potions. I’d light his lungs on fire, carve out his fucking eyes for even having looked at you and imagined hurting you. I’d-”

He inhaled sharply, shuddering against her, face pressed against her neck. “Ah, fuck…” He faltered, slumping a bit.

A thrill ran through her, only intensified as she found another orgasm of her own, her nails skating down Bane’s chest. “I…did you just…”

Barsad let out a breathless laugh before dragging his tongue over the side of her neck. “You just fucking made come in my pants like some dumb teenager, baby girl. Geezus.”

“Good,” she laughed just as breathlessly, kissing Bane quickly as he helped them ease down, even cradling them both in his lap, keeping them pressed together, face to face this time. “I mean it,” she stressed, frowning. “No one will ever hurt you again. I won’t let them.”

Barsad paused, brow furrowing as he read just how honest she was being. “I…my ilahah,” he breathed, tucking his face against her collarbone, shivering a little. “Pure and strong, ilahah, gentle and fierce, my whole world…”

She was going to train as hard as she could, as much as she could, if only for Barsad. If only so she could protect him if anything ever happened again. Not that anything would. She would keep it from happening. She couldn’t let him hurt himself just for her. She wouldn’t. Not when he held her this tight, nor when he chewed his lip because he was fighting tears. No, her mawla was strong and loyal, trying to hide his weakness from her. She could fix this.

She would make sure no one would ever touch him again.


	17. Protected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She must be made strong by any means possible...and sometimes, it takes some restraint to set someone free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol i actually like those dumb poetic chapter summaries even if they don't really tell you what it's about. But whatever. More kinky stuff and then some plot building there at the end.

Sweat dripped down her body, her chest heaving as she gasped for breath. She’d been going at it for what felt like ages, her thighs shaking with the exertion, her belly aching. It was, without a doubt, the most painful exercise she had done in ages.

And she still couldn’t fucking orgasm.

“Please,” she gasped, tugging at the ropes that held her arms behind her back. “Please, give me the vibrator again. Oh please…”

Bane hummed, taking a moment before looking away from his book, glancing at the clock. “You have five more minutes before you get your vibrator back.”

“Oh come on,” she whined, citing her lip. “I wanna come so bad, oh please…”

“You can come in five minutes if you keep riding, just like that.”

“No fair,” she sobbed, wanting to ride harder, but unable to force her legs to work.

Still, if it was painful for her, it had to be absolute torture for Barsad.

Arms tied above his head, legs folded and tied as well, he was pinned perfectly underneath her, his chest heaving as well, but he was far more silent. A cockring kept him from finishing as she rode him. For a while, she had been made to ride a dildo, but Barsad had kept wriggling in, rubbing her clit to help her get off, and Bane said it disrupted the purpose of the exercise, and so he had replaced the toy.

She had to admit, she was kind of glad for it. Barsad’s cock felt a thousand times better than the dildo, leaking so much pre, twitching with need inside her…it made her hum, pausing in her riding to settle, grinding just a little so she could… A sharp swat to one of her breasts made her yelp and start to bounce again.

Barsad gasped sharply, like he was suffocating, eyes rolling back in bliss for a moment. He looked so good like that, so hot and yet so drawn out…his hair stuck to his forehead, his lashes damp with tears of frustration…absolutely wrecked. Absolutely and perfectly wrecked and she had a huge part to do with it.

“Good girl,” Bane whispered, setting his book aside. “You’ve lasted a long time.”

“Feels too good to wimp out,” she admitted, biting her lip to focus. “Can’t wait to feel him come in me, though.”

“You think he deserves it?” It sounded like an honest question as Bane shifted closer, bracing a hand to her lower back, helping her ride a bit. “I think we should have him watch you finish a few more times before I let him have at you.” A faint buzz filled the air as Bane turned her vibrator back on, bringing it down to press it against her clit. “Habibi,” he rumbled out, pressing his mask against her cheek. “Come for me.”

Definitely easy. She started to ride Barsad harder, spurred on now that her clit was finally being stimulated. A more fulfilling sort of pleasure coursed through her, giving her the strength to try and find her own completion.

“I’m gonna come,” she gasped out finally, brow furrowing. “Oh fuck yeah, fuckin finally…”

Bane pressed in behind her, cupping a breast with his free hand, keeping the vibrator against her. “He watches you, habibi. Even when his thoughts are overtaken by his own need, he cannot resist watching you take yours. He is completely enraptured when it comes to you. Do you know how much pleasure this brings me?”

She could imagine, judging from the bulge pressed against her, but she was a little lost for words at the moment. Heat was finally building to a satisfying point in her belly. She let herself focus on it, riding it out until it hit, her hips jerking down hard as she gasped, brow furrowed with the intensity of it, her pleasure enhanced by the constant rub of Barsad’s cock against her gspot, so perfect inside of her…

“There you are…our ilahah, so beautiful.” Bane set aside the vibrator, letting it buzz against the blankets before trailing his hands over her. “I think you have exercised enough for now. Now for Barsad…I am not quite so certain.”

“Please brother,” Barsad gasped, finding his voice again. “Please let me fuck her. Please.”

“Being able to finish and fucking her are two very different things,” Bane pointed out, tweaking her nipple gently, making her spasm just enough to make Barsad gasp. “Which is it you desire?”

“I want to fuck her, hold her close and make her come on my own strength. My pleasure is nothing when it comes to hers.”

“An excellent answer. Just a moment.” Bane moved away from her, sliding to untie the various knots that held Barsad down.

The moment he was free, Barsad reared up, knocking her back, smothering her yelp with a kiss. Frantic and passionate, he started to pound into her, breathing hot against her lips, senseless to everything else but pleasing her.

Except she was a little sensitive. She groaned, wrapping her arms around him, nails clawing over his shoulders as her overstimulated nerves were abused. It felt good, made her toes curl, but it was still almost too much. “I wanna feel you come in me,” she gasped, arching hard. “Fill me up full and make me drip with you…”

“Gods, I want that too,” he managed to whisper, apparently possessing enough of a brain to speak, still.

“Then you need to stop long enough for one of us to take the damn cockring off.”

“Fuck.” He let out a soft, breathless laugh, tucking his face against her throat. “I don’t wanna pull out.”

She laughed too, stroking over his slick back, so much affection pumping through her. “Gonna have to.”

He hummed softly, lifting his head again so he could kiss her, over and over, hands shifting restlessly over her. Never stopping, worshipping, adoring… “Alright, I think I can manage the trick,” he chuckled, slowly easing out, wincing a bit. “Though I’m kind of unsure if I can make it back inside of you before I finish.”

“Totally okay. I’d be okay with that. Just let me see it, see you…”

He reached down, hands scrambling numbly over his restraint, gripping it with both hands, yanking it off himself. The moment he tossed aside, bracing himself with his free hand, he gasped, the sound short and jerking as he came against her belly, his head tipping back a bit.

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, her mawla. So handsome and pure and… she sat up, reaching out to trail her fingers over him, drawing him back in so she could hold him, tucking his face against her, cradling him entirely, squeezing hard. Her mawla. Hers. All hers. Always hers.

When Bane reached out, her head snapped up, eyes narrowed before she remembered where she was, who was going to touch them. Her expression smoothed over, regret flickering over her features. Bane seemed undeterred, having paused when he saw her expression, only continuing when she relaxed. He stroked down Barsad’s back, pressing a firm touch to the base of his spine.

“You both did very well today,” he rumbled, a smile creasing the edges of his eyes. “I think you both deserve a reward.”

“A bath?” Barsad mumbled, turning his head to peer at Bane sleepily. “I could go for a bath.”

“After. You will get all the aftercare that you want. But I want to give you what I had commissioned.”

“Ah.” Barsad rolled off, sighing in relief as he settled into the bed. “I can go get the bath started if you-”

“You are a part of this as well, brother.” Bane shifted, reaching out for the bedside table. He slid over a cardboard box, reaching inside to pull out two velvet jewelry boxes. “I did not speak about her alone in that shop.”

Barsad’s eyes widened at the sight of the second box, slowly sitting up again, brow furrowing. “I…me too?”

“Yes, brother. You have trusted me for years, allowing me to guide you through battle, through every plan, every attack…perhaps it is time you allow me to guide you in pleasure. I swear to you, brother, I adore you just as I adore habibi, and I only ask that you let me prove it to you.” Bane reached out, brushing a touch against Barsad’s cheek. “Allow me to take care both of you. I need to.”

“I…never thought…” Barsad shifted slightly, glancing at her, guilt flickering over his features. “I can’t. This would take away from her and I won’t-”

“It won’t take away, it will only share it! Wasn’t this fun, what we had today? Tied up together? Or like that one time?” She quickly cut in, despite how eager she was to see what was in the box. “The two of us not needing to worry about anything because Bane will take care of it all. Just enjoying what he gives us, what he makes us do…doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

He surged forward then, kissing her hard. She snorted hard through her nose as he knocked them over, letting him press over her for a moment before turning out of it, laughing as he continued to kiss over her throat.

“Does that mean you accept my offer? Even before you’ve seen what I had made for you?”

“Shhh,” Barsad whispered against her neck. “One second.”

“You can kiss after I have given you your gift and bathed you. Come now, focus for just a moment.” Bane was smiling quite widely with how much it was reading through his mask. He waited patiently for them to sit up, facing him again, only holding each other’s hands now. “I told you once that I was envious of the men in the Pit who had their pets to service them. I wished the same thing, only with the added desire to serve my pets, let them know just how much I appreciated them allowing me to take care of them. I know how important the collar can be, to express ownership, protection. I wish to give it to you both.”

She held her breath, watching as Bane released the catches on the boxes, letting the springs pop open the lids. In the right box sat an ornate, silver collar, etched along the sides with elegant filigree. A large hoop sat at the front, under several large rainbow opals. And in between that, in between the stones and the hoop, etched in swirling Arabic, she recognized the word… Habibi.

“Bane,” Barsad choked out, startling her into glancing over, surprised to see tears in his eyes. “I…”

The other collar was black metal, confusing her as to what it was. It was thicker, more masculine in construction, but still etched with filigree. It bore rainbow opal as well, and mawla was carved in as his name. It was beautiful, and she knew it would look stunning on him.

“You have been my own protector long before we met her. And before that, you protected another…with this collar, I want to show you that while you can always protect habibi, you can sometimes let me take care of protecting you too.”

“Yes,” Barsad whispered, nodding a little. “Of course. Yeah. Just…collar her first, this is supposed to be for her.”

“It’s for both of you,” Bane shushed him, but pulled out her collar first, all the same. “These are not the only thing you two will be receiving today. As with any good collar, there must be cuffs. Lift your hair for me, habibi.”

She complied, holding her hair on top of her head while Bane, her wonderful, beautiful Bane slid the collar around her throat, latching it carefully. “You had cuffs made too?”

“I did. Yours are made to hold your atomizers as well, habibi. You could wear them at all times, if you so desire.”

“I desire,” she reassured him, letting her hair fall loose around her shoulders again. The weight on her throat felt so good, not too heavy, solid, reassuring. It felt nice and cool, solid and… “Yours,” she sighed, touching her fingers to the smooth stones. “Habibi.”

“Habibi,” he agreed, leaning in to press his mask to her brow. “But not just mine. You are Barsad’s as well. If there is a hierarchy here, then Barsad is above you, I fear.”

“Yeah? I’m the bottom rung?” The idea made her grin, glancing over at Barsad.

“No, habibi, you are the top. I am on the bottom, as I am to hold you up, carry you to heaven time and time again.”

She had to pause, her smile gentling as she hooked her finger in the hoop. “Sometimes I forget how poetic you are.”

“We have not had much chance to talk with one another of late. I miss having you read to me.”

“I miss it too. Maybe we can make time now?”

“Perhaps we will find the time.” Bane closed his eyes when she kissed his mask, rumbling low in his chest, content for a moment. “Come now, it is time to collar you, my brother.”

Barsad laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head when his collar was pulled out. “I never thought anything like this would happen, honestly. I mean, collars…”

“Do you not want it, then?” Bane paused, making sure their eyes met. “If you do not-”

“I want it. I said yes, didn’t I? Collar me, you piece of shit.”

Bane chuckled, reaching out to slip the metal around Barsad’s neck, making sure the latch didn’t pinch skin when he locked it. “These collars can only be removed with a key that I bear. It is not that I wish to trap you; it is because I wish to reassure you that none can take this mark of my protection from you. This metal is quite unbreakable by conventional means.”

“It looks beautiful on you,” she whispered to Barsad, smiling when he glanced uncertainly over. “Very handsome.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She leaned in, pressing a kiss to his throat, just above the collar. “My handsome mawla.”

“Little bird,” he cooed back, tipping his head to catch her lips in a kiss.

They lingered for a bit, just quietly kissing one another as Bane slipped their cuffs on as well, latching them. With every bit that he put on her, the more…perfect she felt. She felt more and more like their ilahah, which was ridiculous since she was essentially being restrained. But when she looked down at the silvery metal, the shining opals…she felt heavenly, untouchable.

“Come, my bevy, allow me to bathe you.” Bane stroked his fingers over their cheeks, looking so terribly fond of them both that she had to push forward, into his arms. He bundled them both up, carrying her and leading him back up into the small bathroom the apartment held. He fussed and tended to a bath, preparing it for them both before guiding them into it, working on washing them.

It really was nice to be pampered like that, to have someone lovingly stroke a soapy washcloth over her. It was even nicer, however, to be snuggled up with her mawla while someone else doted over them. She had always wanted to be someone’s sub, someone’s person to care for and adore and…it only made sense that Bane could do that for her.

“So the rest of our gear is in, right?” She asked hopefully, giggling when Bane reached into the water to grasp her ankle, drawing her foot up out of the water to scrub it. “You’re going to let us see it?”

“Of course. I want you both to be clean before I show it to you, so it can perhaps get you to try it on, make sure it all fits. If you both desire it, perhaps you could spend a bit more time in your gear, enjoy it for a while.” Bane had to pause, eyes flicking almost guiltily to the two of them. “I must admit some selfish desire in this. I spent much time choosing how I wished for it to be designed, and I look forward to seeing it on you both.”

“Yeah?” She reached up, letting her fingers drip water onto Bane’s bare scalp. “Got a fetish we don’t know about?”

Bane rumbled out a laugh, shooing her aside so he could start to scrub Barsad down. “I found that, as I did more research into the necessary gear, I was growing increasingly more fond of it. I found a way for my bevy to truly rejoice and be free…of course I could come to…seek it out.”

“It’s called a fetish, Bane. It’s okay to call it that.” She had to grin when Bane scratched Barsad fondly under the chin, his nails rasping over his beard. “By the way, I notice you’ve picked a new nickname. Bevy? Is that what you call Barsad?”

“Bevy is a name used to refer to the both of you, together.”

“It doesn’t sound Arabic.”

“It isn’t.” Barsad reassured her, humming faintly in contentment. “I’m actually not sure what it means.”

“For once, I have chosen a name that eludes even your vast intellect,” Bane chuckled, leaning in to press his mask to Barsad’s brow. “Come, my bevy, let us get you dry and show you the gifts I had prepared.”

She found she liked it, having a nickname that included Barsad. Bane was fond of nicknames, fond of letting others know just how much he cared…and all of them had meanings. She loved names with meanings, names with secrets and messages to those who knew more than most. She still adored being Barsad’s little bird, or his baby girl, more recently, but Bane’s usage of nicknames warmed her completely.

Dried briskly with surprisingly soft towels, which made her figure that Bane must have bought them recently, she and Barsad trailed after Bane as he led them out. The warm bathwater had heated her collar and cuffs a bit, making her hyper aware of them. Finally, finally collared, cared for, owned…and she had no fear of her owner taking advantage of her, hurting her for their own gain. She felt more trust for those two men than she had for anyone else she had ever known. And they had been terrorists. So that was…that was something special.

Taking them both to one of the side rooms of the cave, Bane strode surely towards a large crate, pausing to stroke a hand over the top of it, just admiring the wood, it seemed. As he focused on the crate, she let her eyes wander around the low room. The floor was polished, smooth stone, creating faint echoes as they walked through it. Probably one of the training rooms that the Bat had used for something, but for some reason, Bane had chosen it to present their new gear to them. He never did anything part way, so he had chosen that room for a good reason, she presumed. She trusted his judgement in all things; he had yet to prove her wrong in her blind faith.

“While sex alone is a beneficial exercise, I found that there was another method, related to sex, but not always directly involving it. It requires great balance, great skill, and calls forth great beauty.” Bane trailed off in a hum, slowly unlatching the crate, pushing the top away. “I admired men in the pit for having pets like dogs at their side. I considered this, considered my envy, and wondered if it truly was a dog that I desired at my side. I came to the conclusion that, while dogs are beautifully loyal and willing to please, they are not wild and fierce like my bevy.” His hands dipped down inside the crate, shifting and adjusting some things. “No, I would not care for a dog. Instead, I found that I wished to follow what I had already called my bevy, and return them to the form that calls to me most.” He straightened, cradling something in his hands. “The true representation of what I see in my habibi, my brother.” He turned slowly, offering out what he held.

In his hands rested a beautifully crafted deer mask, complete with what appeared to be real antlers. She had seen pony masks, black leather and stark, but what he held seemed to even have fur on it, with buttery tan leather for the straps to hold it on. Her heart thudded in her chest at the sight of it, wondering…

“Come and greet yourself, habibi,” Bane murmured, offering it. “This one is for you.”

“Yeah?” She was near breathless with the sight of it, glancing at Barsad before moving forward, almost afraid to touch it. “It’s…it’s gorgeous.”

“It is you, habibi. You are my wild and strong doe, gentle and graceful until you or your family is threatened, becoming lethal and vicious.” He placed the mask in her hands, reaching up to stroke her hair back. “I hope you will spend much time in this mask.”

“And what of me?” Barsad asked carefully, moving forward. “You said you had something made for me?”

“Of course.” Bane turned back to the box. “What would my doe be without her buck?” He offered out another mask, this one larger, with bigger antlers, darker shades of fur, but no less beautiful.

Barsad cursed, taking his own mask, staring at it just as intently. “It…feels strange.”

“It will, at first. Allow me to help you both get suited up, give you time to adjust to it. It will feel strange at first, but I trust that time will allow you to adapt.”

She didn’t feel strange at all, really. Leaning against the side of the crate, letting Bane put on her shorts, her sports bra, and then straps and boots and the mask and spreading her hair over her shoulders, touching so gently, checking every strap as it was put into place. He set aside a few of the straps, shrugging it off and stating that he didn’t want to restrain them for their first time, give them some leeway to figure it out. The arm restraints. Right. She was grateful for that, because when she stepped away from the crate, she wobbled a bit.

“Careful, habibi, I cannot have you hurting yourself.”

She snorted, keeping her arms outstretched a bit as she worked on trying to walk. It pleased her to no end to hear the clack of her hooves against the stone floor, making her realize why Bane had chosen that room. No place to trip or stumble, and it made walking fun with all the echoing sound.

“Remind me to write this up as one thing that I never thought would happen. I can tuck my own junk into my pants, brother.”

She snorted again, trying to press a hand over her mouth, only to bump her muzzle. Right.

“Ah, I can’t really call you little bird right now, can I? It wouldn’t make much sense. Still, your ass looks amazing right now, baby girl.”

“The tail does look quite nice on her, does it not?”

“Hell yeah it does.” Barsad’s voice became muffled slightly, the slide of the buckles being done up alerting her that his mask was being put on. “Is it weird that I want to fuck a deer?”

“A little. But I am right there with you, brother,” Bane chuckled, and there was a sharp slap, making Barsad huff. “Go explore. I have to tend to the other items I had made.”

“There’s more shit in there?” Barsad sounded exasperated. “What could you have possibly-”

“Explore or I will be forced to hunt my bevy.”

She was starting to get an idea on what bevy meant. Didn’t really matter, as she was starting to get used to her hooves, allowing her to walk a little more assuredly around the room. It was starting to feel a little better, a little more like it was a part of her, even with her limited sight. Her legs were starting to burn already from being up on her toes in the boots, which was probably why Bane had chosen that sort of gear to be her exercise.

“Hey.”

She turned slightly, grinning behind her mask when she saw her buck, her beautiful mawla. He was shirtless, which thankfully gave her a mostly unobstructed view of his lovely strength, his lean muscle. He looked good, wonderfully good in his gear, with his graceful antlers and smooth fur and…weird thoughts, but she couldn’t deny feeling it intensely. “Wow.”

“Wow yourself. I’m already liking this gear,” Barsad chuckled, reaching out to touch her lightly, fingers ghosting over her shoulders. “I have always favored hunting deer, you know.”

“You’re my buck, though. You can’t hunt me. You’re supposed to protect me.” Tipping her head up, her muzzle brushed against his for a moment, and for some impossible reason, it thrilled her intensely. “My handsome, perfect buck.”

He rumbled out a laugh, nuzzling back as best as he could. “How confident are you in these boots?”

“Pretty confident.”

“Good. Let’s go frolic in the woods, then.”

“Be careful, my bevy,” Bane called out, apparently having heard their plan.

Didn’t matter. She turned and dashed off, knowing she would have to step high to be able to run without tripping. Her hooves clattered against the stone loudly, the sound only echoed when Barsad followed after her. She had to admit, she was already feeling a shocking bit of thrill. She always felt freer when she was wearing a mask, and she had always wanted her own set of pony boots…now she had them, had all of the gear, and had two wonderful men to play with. Her own buck, and…well, whatever Bane was going to pretend to be when they wore the gear on a regular basis. It didn’t matter. He had taken the time to get her all of that wonderful gear, her collar, her cuffs, all of it. He loved her so much, he just…he had to. To spend all that time and money, all with that soft, worshipping look in those cloudy eyes of his.

Sprinting through the cave in her gear was proving to be more fun than she thought it would be. It felt free, unrestrained, wildly open and justifying in the strange world she lived in. She could be a deer, be whatever the hell she wanted to be with the two men that loved her. She could do anything, and they would not judge her.

She turned a corner, charging down a hallway, only to find herself bolting towards Blake and a very startled looking Commissioner Gordon. She barked out a shrill laugh, turning a corner and dashing down another corner, Barsad hot on her heels, his own laugh echoing after.

“Oh my,” she heard Gordon stammer.

“Oh come on!” Blake shouted, sounding flustered. “I left a note on the fridge that I was bringing him down here today!”

They hadn’t been in the kitchen for hours. Oh well. Still, curiosity picked at her, making her need to know why Gordon needed to be there…she looped around, slowing her run to try and find where they might have gone. She was just curious. Despite potentially traumatizing Gordon for the rest of his life, she needed to see why he needed to be in the cave.

Barsad pressed up behind her, resting a hand on her back. He coaxed her into walking more slowly, letting their hooves rest lighter on the stone floor. He was a sniper, after all. He knew how to move like a shadow, like death. It was under his guidance that they managed to find Gordon and Blake again, by the Bat’s central computer, shuffling through files.

Bane lumbered up the steps, brow furrowing when he saw the papers. “What is the meaning of your visit?”

“Ah, right.” Gordon cleared his throat, brushing his glasses up further on his nose. “I apologize for this, but…You must understand how awkward this is for me. You are a terrorist that was going to have me killed out on that ice.”

“I had nothing to do with your sentencing, Commissioner. I left that up to the people. Regardless, we have a truce, and there is surely a reason why would have come here. You have interrupted something.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.” Gordon flipped open a file, pushing forward a picture. “We believe that we may have possibly come across a sort of…headquarters.”

“Headquarters for what?” Bane plucked up the picture, peering over it, brow furrowed.

“Headquarters for the gang of serial killers you had been hunting down.”

A cold feeling sank through her belly, her heart stopping. The killers…the ones who had harmed her Barsad. His hand pressed over her shoulder, her own hand instantly snapping up to cover his, squeezing it.

“So there is a central hub,” Bane mused, setting down the picture carefully. “Interesting. And I assume there is a reason why you have come to me, then?”

“Yes.” Gordon cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. “We are certain that it is a sort of…training facility, where new killers are trained on how to mimic their leader before being sent off to do whatever they wish. I also suspect that whatever is inside that warehouse, this headquarters…I am certain that it will contain horrors beyond imagining.”

She was certain of that as well. After having seen what the Collector held, she was certain that the central hub, the headquarters of it all would be far more horrible. Gods. A center of brutal killers…

Bane breathed out slowly, crossing his arms over his chest. He seemed to be quietly contemplating the information, eyes distant and unfocused as he considered it. “Why have you come to me?” He finally asked, lifting his head.

“Because. I know that my police forces will not be able to handle anything they find in there. And their hesitation in the face of such destruction could allow several of the suspects inside to get away, or worse, strike back. I can’t have that. And in my desperation, I find that I need to come to you. You could handle whatever you find. You could come out on the other side, even fight back. When we attack, it has to be absolute. It has to be destructive and sure, to make sure such a thing is snuffed out at one moment. I cannot let this continue to happen. And that is why I have come to you. That is why I need you. I need your help.”

Bane reached up, stroking his hand over his head, quietly considering. “You want me to go in and destroy everything that I find.”

“Yes.”

He nodded faintly. “I will. I will punish those who orchestrated the suffering of my bevy. I will destroy them all.”

“Not without me,” she found herself snapping out, scrambling up, dashing over to where they were talking. “You are not going out there without me by your side.”

Judging from how Gordon looked startled and embarrassed, she was certain she looked strange with her gear on, but she didn’t care. She stepped up beside Bane, glaring through her mask, glaring down at the photos. She heard Barsad move up beside her, but she was…numb. She felt righteous fury pulse through her as she saw the warehouse, just as unassuming as where she and her mawla had been contained, tortured, made to fear anything and everything.

“It would be safer if you stay behind, habibi. I am your protector. I will not put you in harm’s way.”

“You will always be my protector,” she agreed, lifting her head. “But I cannot sit idly by while you go out and risk your life. And I will not sit back and wait, and hope you are…” Her chest started to heave a bit, her rage making her grit her teeth, making her shift from foot to foot. “I will not sit around and hope that you are destroying every remnant of what pushed that monster to hurt my mawla. I will not let a single one of those killers survive. I cannot. I won’t.”

“Sep,” Barsad whispered behind her, leaning in, pressing his mask to the back of her neck. “You don’t…”

“I need to. I need to go. I need to be there and see that place burn to the ground. Because of them, my mawla…I will make them feel his suffering a thousand fold. I will make them suffer!” She felt nothing but her rage, nothing but her need to destroy, to punish, to rend. “I will go with you!”

Bane fairly swelled with pride, lifting his head. “Our ilahah walks proudly among man, bringing her mercy and her wrath to those most deserving. I look forward to seeing the one true ilahah emerge into the world, to let all know of her vicious strength, her righteous fury. I will take you with me. I will let you test yourself.”

Relief flooded her, making her nod. “Yes. Good. I…yes.”

Gordon cleared his throat, nodding as well. “Okay then. A unit of four, then.”

“Four?”

“I’m going with you.” Blake cleared his throat, glancing somewhat uncertainly at Bane. “I need to test my training too. I think this will be a good chance.”

“You’re not ready,” Bane growled, eyes narrowing. “These killers will be unlike anything you have ever seen, child. I doubt that you will be able to-”

“You’re taking her!” Blake tossed his hands up. “Is it just because you’re fucking her that-”

Bane fairly roared, swiping the table out of the way with a slap of his hand, stepping forward to loom over Blake, expression thunderous, even through his mask. “The relationship I have with her has nothing to do with her ability to fight! You bicker like a child, neglecting the fact that she lived through a nightmare that these killers unleash on the innocent! You forget that she had to watch as someone she loves suffered a fate worse than death, gave her body to try and barter for her loves’ safety, only for it to mean nothing? How could I deny her that revenge? How could I force her to sit back and wait? I wish she would stay behind and be safe. I want her to be as far away from those monsters as possible, holding Barsad back, protecting him, but I can’t. She must come, and she must achieve this to give her heart rest, to soothe the rage burning inside of her. What if you had the option to lash out against those who took your family from you? Would you sit back and watch?”

Blake, admirably, stood firm under Bane’s thunderous anger, but she could see the slight quake in his hands. Bane was the man who had broken the bat over his knee. Bane had lived in hell and still had heart enough to protect a child. Bane was destruction until a thin shield of gentility. Blake was brave, she would give him that.

Bane breathed out slowly, blinking his usual slow blink as he glanced aside. “You did not see what she did. I do not have faith that you could withstand the sights there.”

“Let me try. I want to help. I was there with you as we looked for you, I heard you break down when you thought I was gone. I can’t sit by either.”

Bane sighed heavily, turning to look down at her. “It is up to you, habibi. This will be your moment. Do you wish for him to be there?”

He always gave her way more decisions to make than she cared to make. Still, it was nice to be included now, when for most of her life, she was treated as sub-human, with no opinion on anything. Bane treated her like a human being, and then some. “As long as he doesn’t stop me from destroying the men that we find, I’m fine with it.”

“It is decided then. We will start to plan an attack.”

She felt Barsad’s hand lace with hers, squeezing slightly. Nothing could stop her from dishing out proper destruction. Nothing.


	18. Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first time, she's going to war. It's good to have a little motivation along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! My lovely gf sukithefangirl (tumblr) or Darthsuki (ao3) did a reference sheet for Sep! So if any of you guys want to see how cute she is...here she is!   
> http://sepzet.tumblr.com/post/136439737832/sukithefangirl-is-super-amazing-and-drew-a
> 
> Sorry about that ugly link but whatever! Anyways, I hope you guys like it! She should def be a little chubbier, but I didn't want to be too particular when it was being drawn as a gift. But oh well!

“Tell me of your attack tactics, habibi. Tell me what you wish to do.”

“A lot of things.” She snorted softly, rummaging through her bag to pull out a few vials. “I’ve been working on some new mixtures lately. Potent stuff. Hallucinogenics, hypnotics, all kinds of stuff to disorient and harm. This one right here can make you projectile vomit.”

“And how do you know it can do that?” Blake piped up, glaring when Bane cast him an irritated glance.

“Because I do. I know my plants, and I know what proper mixtures can do. Why? Want me to test it on you?” She set down the vial, returning to fussing over her atomizers. “I even have some acidic sprays, but…I don’t know. A lot of these depend on us not breathing it in. Bane will be fine, but I’ll need some kind of respirator. Barsad too.”

Gordon set down a tray of coffee, nodding to Bane before taking a seat at the table. “I believe most of the occupants of that warehouse come back at dawn. That would be the best time to attack if we want to get them all at once.”

Bane rumbled faintly, reaching down to shuffle through the photos. “We will be working against the clock, then. Can you guarantee that your police won’t come and interrupt us?”

“I will do what I can to keep them well occupied elsewhere. Can’t make too many promises, though.”

Sep glanced around the table as she adjusted her cuffs, slipping a canister into it to test the fit. They really did match her usual atomizers surprisingly well…he seemed to plan for everything. Sometimes she forgot just how wise he was, overseeing everything, a leader most powerful. A leader who had a tendency to sleep right through the morning if he had nothing important he had to do. No matter what they could do, it was always interesting to see what a man would do. And no matter how often he reminded her that he had been Gotham’s reckoning, she still couldn’t help but cackle when he grunted and groaned when trying to stand up out of a chair.

They’d already spent many days planning their attack, and it seemed like they were going to take many more. She could understand the caution, but she was just itching to get out there, to strike back.

Though she had some fears about Barsad. Ever since they had started planning, he’d been…flighty. Disappearing, hiding away…she tried to seek him out, but Bane always told her that he was fine, that there was nothing to worry about, which naturally made her worry more. Barsad still had that fear in him, buried down under all that they had done lately, but it was still there. He suffered there, with the Collector, in so many awful ways…trained soldier or not, torture does something to a man. When he had craved her company so intensely, only to suddenly be distant, almost aloof?

It scared her.

“Habibi? Are you okay?”

She glanced up, flushing when she noticed all three of them were looking at her. “Oh. Yeah. No. But that’s fine.”

Slipping his arm around her, he drew her over into an embrace, pressing his mask into her hair. “Tell me what is wrong.”

“On the risk of sounding like a complete and utter petulant child, I want my mawla,” she sighed, tucking her face against his chest. “Where has he gone?”

“Ah, my doe craves her buck. Barsad has gone off to prepare in his own way for this attack. Barsad is fearsome, habibi, though you did not have much of a chance to witness it. He is the finest soldier I have ever known…I imagine you will only desire him more after this coming fight.”

“What makes you so sure of that?” She knew they were being rude to Blake and Gordon, but she didn’t particularly care.

“Because you desire power, pure strength. That is why you remain so devoted to Barsad and I, even when presented with the very desirable option of Blake. He is far more beautiful than either of us, but he does not hold the same strength as us.”

Blake protested softly, seeming to pout a bit when she glanced over. But…

“He has a pretty face, yeah,” she agreed, noting the faint sort of tiredness in Bane’s eyes when she nodded. “But he’s not more beautiful than you or Barsad. Not even close. No offense,” she waved vaguely at Blake, not taking her eyes away from Bane’s. “I know you’re self conscious and all about your scars, but you’re gorgeous. And Barsad is…look, the both of you make my dumb little heart flip flop all over the place, and whatever the reasons, I’m sticking with the two of you. Alright? Okay. So. Where’s Barsad?”

Bane rumbled out a laugh, squeezing her tighter for a moment before releasing her. “The room where we keep your gear, habibi. He will be displeased with my inability to keep a secret for him, though.”

“He’ll get over it.” Hooking her fingers in the straps over his cheeks, she dragged him down so she could kiss his mask before turning away. “What are we doing for dinner tonight?”

“I’m ordering Chinese food,” Blake grumbled, scowling at Bane when his attitude earned him a warning growl. “As much as I enjoy your cooking, we need something quick tonight.”

“It’s not healthy,” Bane snapped back.

“You are the weirdest motherfucker, I swear to shit you continue to freak me the fuck out all the damn time. Could you please just be the terrorist I imagined you to be?”

“Blake!” Gordon tried to be the peacekeeper, flailing a bit in between the two.

She rolled her eyes as she headed off. She liked Blake, she really did, and wouldn’t mind him as another boyfriend…but only if he chilled out just a little bit. He was going to get himself seriously hurt if he couldn’t understand that Bane was a man just like any other, except with a bit more ambition and power. It didn’t matter, really. Whatever Blake thought, it meant nothing to her. She had to focus on herself more often. She had to be her own person.

She wandered the halls until she came across the familiar room, the smooth, polished floors. She felt herself drawn to the crate in the center of the room, towards the gear she knew was so lovingly cradled inside, but it wasn’t the proper time for it. She made herself look away, made herself search until she saw Barsad, seated and leaning against the wall, his usual massive rifle in his lap, his arms resting lightly on it. His eyes were closed, as if in meditation, and he wore combat fatigues, like the first time she had seen him. Over the months, he had worn tshirts, jeans, comfortable clothing. It looked as though he was preparing for war.

In his mind, he probably was.

Walking as quickly as she could manage, she approached him. She just…he didn’t have to do all of it alone. She could be there, could help support him. She knew it was going to be rough on the two of them, but she didn’t want him to suffer for any reason. He shouldn’t have to, not while she and Bane were there. He could be happy and safe, but he…he was going to go alone, and risk losing himself again.

It scared the shit out of her. Losing Barsad…

“Bane is weak to your charms,” Barsad murmured, extending his hand towards her, not bothering to open his eyes. “Is something troubling you, little bird?”

“I just worried about you.” She hurried to kneel in front of him, catching his hand so she could press kisses over his palm. “Why’d you go off on your own?”

“I needed to remember the soldier I once was,” he sighed, slowly opening his eyes. “And to work on a proper uniform for you.”

“Uniform?” She smiled softly, cradling his hand in her own, stroking her fingertips over his palm, like she could read palms. “Something like what you wear?”

“I could never ask my ilahah to wear such drab clothing against her porcelain skin.” He ignored her skeptical snort, smiling. “Bane is not the only one with talents, I think. You’ve never asked me, you know. I am skilled with a rifle, but I prefer to use a bow. Bows have no place in the battlefield, but I love the draw, the strain, the deliberateness of each movement. You have to be certain before you draw, or you may lose it…I also enjoy taking photos, but have had no time to get a camera. Birds seem to be drawn to me, and I work hard to not abuse that trust. I can sew, and have even dabbled in painting, though I am not near as skilled in that.” He didn’t sound sad, but he did sound tired, his eyes lowered towards their hands. “And for a time, I have felt such a powerful guilt in loving you more than I ever loved my wife.”

“Barsad,” she whispered in a rush, surging forward into his arms, shoving her face against his neck. “I’m so sorry, I…I should have asked. I just never have a chance to talk to you like I do with Bane and…geezus. I feel like shit.”

“I never meant for that, little bird,” he cooed, shoving his rifle out of the way so he could squeeze her, tucking her a bit better in his lap. “I just…find myself afraid of how you make me feel. You are my everything, and I want to give you everything I have to give. I…” His voice broke as he leaned away, running his fingers through his hair, eyes closed tight. “Fuck.”

“I feel the same way, Barsad,” she said hurriedly, her hands fluttering against his chest, unsure of where to place them. “Geezus. This is why I didn’t want you to be alone. I love you and I-”

“Marry me.”

Her breath choked off suddenly, eyes widening as she was quite certain that her heart stopped. He was staring at her so intently, looking more determined than she had ever seen him. And in that moment, she was struck with just how very, very blue his eyes were.

“Bane owns you, owns the both of us entirely. Bane will always be a huge part of this, as we both love him dearly. But I cannot deny just how much I want to have a ring on my finger, to be able to call you my wife, my life, my bride. Even before the Collector, I…” His voice cracked, eyes looking too bright, but he plowed forward. “Chained there, looking at you in that crate, I realized just how much you make me feel when I had been numb for so long. I had my humor, my wit, my skills as a soldier, but I was without joy, without light, and you…you’re it. You’re my everything and I ask you now, with Bane’s collar on your neck, please let me put a ring on your finger. Marry me.”

“Yes,” she blurted, waving her hands vaguely. “Geezus fucking Christ. Yes. I want to marry you, I’ll marry you, oh god yes…” She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t feel anything but the pounding of her heart, the heat filling her, the joy of it all. Someone wanted to marry her and she believed it, believed that he really wanted to, wanted to be with her forever and it just…felt right.

He choked out a sob, cupping her face with both hands, dragging her in for desperate, messy kisses. She didn’t know when she started to cry, but soon the two of them were a mess of tears and breathless laughter and so many, many kisses.

“I’m a cradle robber,” he chuckled, the sound watery and weak. “You should be falling in love with people your age.”

“People my age are shitty most of the time. I’m just fine with my two old men.” Clearing her throat, she sat back, wiping her hands over her cheeks, wiping away tears. “More than fine.”

“You’d better be.” He breathed out shakily, nodding a little bit. “I feel a lot better after asking you, little bird.”

Her face twisted a little at that, somehow managing the trick of lifting her brow. “So you’re good with birds. Is that the reason for the nickname?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “Wishful thinking, back in the beginning, but you looked so much like a bird, so frightened, ready to take flight at any moment. I knew I had to be careful with you.” He paused, his faint smile disappearing as he let his eyes trail over her face, as if he was reading her. “I don’t regret a single moment of it either. If not for the Collector, I may not have realized how you make me feel. There is a darkness still within me, but it is nothing compared to the light you build in me.”

“My mawla,” she whispered reverently, pressing her forehead to his. “Always my mawla.”

He hummed, tipping his head to kiss her before turning away. “Come. I should give you your uniform.”

“Right.” She cleared her throat, tucking her hair behind her ear as he pulled a mass of white cloth out of his bag. “Wow. Um. White?”

“You are ilahah, and I remember how the League looked at you. That awe could aid you in our fight. If those monsters see a goddess walking among them, destroying them, then they will know their fault, know true fear. I will show them what they fear is real. You are a goddess. You are Ilahah.”

It felt less like a nickname then, and more like a name. More like a title…more like her. Her brow furrowed as she nodded solemnly, reaching out to touch the cloth. “I am.”

Of course, she regretted agreeing before she actually saw the outfit. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Not even a little.”

“This is ridiculous. Do you know how much skin would be showing?”

“A lot. That’s the point.”

“Why?” She stood up, holding the cloth against herself. “Geezus. My ass is going to hang out.”

“Try it on.”

She frowned at him, but started to strip down, tossing her clothes at him to try and distract him while she tried on everything he had made. It fit, but it so exposing, unnerving her completely. Her thighs and hips all huge, exposed, her stretchmarks, everything… It made her falter, wanting to curl up and hide, but…

“Beautiful,” he sighed, reaching out to catch her hand. “See? I made you a belt to carry your canisters, your herbs. You look like a goddess in this. You truly do.”

She had to snort, reaching down to fix her boots. “Well…I guess. We’ll see what Bane thinks, though. I mean, I…you don’t think this will be terrible?”

“Not at all. Bane and I can lurk in the shadows as you appear, their goddess come to life and she is displeased. They will know fear then, just as they made me fear for you. We will make them suffer, baby girl, you and me.” He stepped in closer, pressing his forehead to hers again, just leaning there. “I have another gift for you.”

“Oh?”

“I believe in your poisons and your herbs, but I’d feel a little bit better if you had something more than that.”

She had been trained in hand to hand combat by Bane for a while, but she had no idea how she was supposed to handle the wickedly curved blade that Barsad held out for her. It was a knife, yes, with a pure white blade and wrapped handle, looking just as graceful as it was deadly. “Wow, Barsad, I don’t…”

“After you have stunned with your poisons, you can finish the job with this. A quick slash to the throat, and you can move on. Easy.” He reached down, slipping the knife into the sheath on her belt that she hadn’t noticed before. “You wielded that hatchet with a brutality I could have never imagined. I believe this knife is more your speed.”

So many gifts. So much giving, so much… She reached up, cupping his face gently, brushing her thumbs against the rasp of his beard. “My mawla,” she whispered, kissing him softly. “My fiancé.” Another kiss. “My everything.”

“Yours,” he said happily, giving her one of his own kisses before catching her hand. “Come. Let us discuss those plans. We can tell Bane that you agreed to marry me after the attack.”

He sounded so damn cheerful. Had she known that marriage was all he needed, she would have asked him on her own. It didn’t matter at that point, but it was such a relief to see that fire in his eyes again, that bounce in his step. Her mawla, back from the darkness that had weighed him down for so long…

Barsad led the way back to the Bat’s computer, taking his place beside Bane without hesitation. She stepped up on the other side of Barsad, intending to act like nothing was different, but she couldn’t deny that three sets of eyes all flicked towards her immediately. Color rose on her cheeks, but she made herself keep her head high, act like nothing had happened and that-

“Well, we’ll have the distraction part of it down,” Gordon said meekly, adjusting his glasses. “Goodness.”

Bane rumbled deeply, his eyes darker as he looked her over. “Ilahah.”

“Habibi, please,” she whispered, finally ducking her head. “Um. I’m no goddess to you.”

“Speak for yourself.” Bane glanced down at Barsad, head tipping to the side. “You did well, my brother. She will be stunningly fierce on the battlefield.”

“Won’t she?” He sounded so breathless in his love of her, reaching out to take her hand, lifting it to kiss it.

Bane reached over Barsad to stroke her hair, letting his hand rest on the back of her neck, over her collar. “We have worked out masks for you and Barsad to wear during the attack, habibi.”

“And in typical Bane fashion, it’s over the top and flashy.” Blake waved his hand vaguely. “He’s having some masks made up for you in the Bat’s armor creator.”

“I am only over the top when it comes to my bevy. They seem to enjoy the flair.”

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. The amount of sexual tension between Bane and Blake was so thick she was surprised it didn’t actually fog up the air. She didn’t know if Bane actually felt sexually attracted to Blake, but she figured he at least wanted to spank the little idiot. And Blake would deserve it. Would probably be even more of a little bitch than she was. All she knew was that Blake’s constant challenges were grating on her nerves.

“The masks should be complete.” Bane sighed, looking to Gordon. “Would you mind?”

“Not at all.”

Poor guy probably loved the chance to get away from all of the tension. She sighed, leaning heaving against the table. “I think we all need to talk about a few things. Before we do the attack.”

“Of course. Speak your mind, habibi.”

“You need to fucking quit it,” she snapped, glaring at Blake. He flinched back, looking more confused than anything. “He is helping you. He has trained you, has taken the time to keep you from getting yourself killed, and you’re going to have the absolute audacity to challenge him on everything he says and does? Yeah, we’re kinky as shit compared to you, but that doesn’t mean you can treat Bane like a freak of nature. Sure, he’s different from everything you imagined, but you know what? That doesn’t matter. Quit treating him like shit or we are going to have a problem.”

“He was going to destroy Gotham!”

“And Batman abandoned Gotham! Shit happens! And right now, he’s been helping you. So how about you forget all that shit, and work on the fact that we’re all going to be going into a serial killer den in a little while?”

Blake scowled, looking down at his hands. “Fine. Okay.”

“Good. Now let’s just focus on the fight, okay?”

Blake was correct about it being a bit over the top. The masks were respirators, but when worn, they looked like human skulls, boney grins protecting her and Barsad’s faces from her own chemicals. It didn’t help that they gleamed the same kind of metal as their collars, hers a shining silver, his a reflective black. She thought they were beautiful, and would lend to their ferocity and intimidation.

“All three of you kind of match,” Blake admitted, smoothing out his own gear. “With all the masks going on. Feel like you should have a group name or something.”

She chuckled, thoroughly tickled by the fact that her own voice sounded muffled, like Bane’s. “Maybe we should come up with one.”

“Oh,” Barsad gasped, looking to her. “Your voice, little bird. It’s like silk now, unlike the usual song.”

She did have a bit of a croon to her voice with her mask on, she had to admit. “It’s like hiding my identity.” The idea of it made her fumble, made her hands flutter over her pure white clothes, her scars. “Maybe…have I become some kind of…persona? Like Batman?”

“Yes. You are Ilahah.” Barsad chuckled, stepping up beside her, wrapping his arm around her. “Quite an origin story you have, but I think you will be great.”

“Yeah? Am I a villain or a hero?”

“Anti-hero, definitely.” Blake piped up, slipping his own suit on, testing the fit and the movement. “There. What do you think of mine?”

Clinging black with accents of blue…it was nice. Not as nice as Bane or Barsad, but still nice. He was all lean, looked fast, but she knew it was all show. If he had to face her mawla or Bane, he would fall. He needed a chance to learn and become stronger, but he would never be like them. He was an orphan, yes, he had seen his father get shot, but he did not grow up in prison. He did not fight to protect his family, only to return and find that his fighting had done nothing to save them. He did not know suffering like they did. She didn’t know pain like them, but she had witnessed tortured, bartered with her body and let herself be…used in the hopes of saving the man that she loved.

Blake wouldn’t understand. He could try, but he just wasn’t the same.

“The attack is soon, right?” She looked towards Bane, touching her mask lightly. “When?”

“Tomorrow. We can go tomorrow. We will take our bikes, to move like shadows until we are there. And I trust you can enter first, spreading a bit of your magic on them before we move in.” Bane’s eyes crinkled a bit in a smile. “I trust that you will prove to be a very good distraction, with your presence and the chemicals you will spread.”

“And I will kill from afar at first, send them scrambling, and then Bane will come in and crush them. I will catch up at that point, to aid you.” Barsad nodded to Blake. “And he will do his best not to get hurt.”

She smiled faintly at the indignant sound that Blake let out, but he didn’t dispute it. She let out a slow sigh, letting her eyes wander from Barsad to Bane, and back, just…inspecting. Inspecting the men she loved, her fiancé, her master, her mawla, her ilah. Two of the greatest men she could have ever come to know…part of her wished she could have known them before, known the soldiers they were. She’d only had a glimpse of it that first day, with Bane’s cold calculation and Barsad’s sharp observance. She didn’t know if she was lucky that she hadn’t seen it, but she really wished she could have seen how brutal they were. Maybe she could see it in their attack.

“I love you both,” she said suddenly, startling them into looking over. “I don’t know who you two were before all this, but what I do now, I love. So…yeah. Just. I love you.”

“Habibi,” Bane said softly, pressing a touch to his mask. “Do not make it sound so much of a goodbye. We will come out the other side, stronger for it.”

“It’s your fault that professing love sounds like a goodbye. You did this, not me.”

“And I believe we established us making you leave was a good thing.” He approached carefully, his head tipping to the side. “You have become fearsome. As much as I crave and celebrate your softness, I cannot help but admire the strength that you have built.” His eyes became warm, near reverent as he looked at her; it reminded her of the look he gave Talia, in that time that they had met. “I once had a dream of leading the League of Shadows with a fierce woman at my side, a queen. I placed it as nothing but a moment of weakness, but I see now that it was a vision of the future.” He touched her cheek carefully, his look changing. “Will you lead with me? Will you be the true Ilahah for the League?”

“Of course.” It felt like a good moment to bring up the marriage proposal thing. “Bane, I-”

“We need to move,” Gordon cut in. “There’s an unusual amount of activity. We need to attack before they manage to move, if that’s what they’re doing.”

Right. Okay. It could wait.

Sep slid her helmet on as she swept her leg over her bike. It felt like going to war, felt like…it didn’t feel like her, but it felt like something she had dreamt of doing for ages. She had always dreamt of being something more powerful, something that could make a difference. It was her time to see how she could respond to the test, if she could truly fight, if she could do something better. Surrounded by these men, these soldiers…Blake was a cop, Barsad was an assassin, and Bane was death. She was nothing but a girl who had grown in the lap of luxury. She had no hardships like their own. She had to be strong for them. She had to be useful.

“We move as one. Do not stray from my lead for even a moment. When we stop, we move to position without a word. Be strong, be fast, be lethal. No exceptions.”

Barsad let out a sharp sound, some sort of acceptance of Bane’s words, lowering himself on his bike. She mimicked his movement, breathing out slowly. Bane was their leader, the wisest of them all. She trusted him completely, without pause. Nothing would change that.

Bane revved his bike hard before leading the way out of the tunnel. The rest of them moved as one, following him quickly. She had to admit, she was scared. She was scared of what they would find, of letting them down. She believed she could be strong for them, believed that maybe, just maybe she could be useful for at least a moment, but…when it came down to it, she had her doubts. She always had doubts. She wasn’t a sure person. She was never sure about anything. She never would be sure about herself.

But she could be sure about Bane and Barsad. She would help them.

The tunnel took them much closer to the warehouse than she thought it would, as the ride to the actual warehouse was much faster than she could have hoped. It took them no time to get there, for the bikes to be shut off…she had no time to be afraid. There was no time to do anything but take off her helmet and head for the main doors.

No time for fear. There was time for that later.

She shoved the front doors open, striding into the warehouse as assuredly as she could. She kept her chin high, letting her gaze flicker over what she could see.

It was definitely a center of killers. In the broad center of it, there was some sort of meeting table, men and women clustered around it, and off to the sides, there were hovels, dens for the beasts to hide. And there was blood. Blood on the floor, on the table, smeared and old, dried. So much blood. Definitely killers.

Eyes narrowing, she slipped her fingers into the pouches at her waist, finding her canisters, feeling for the marks she had carved in. She shifted, pressing the canisters into her atomizers on her wrists, keeping herself steady as the killers started to notice her.

“Who the fuck are you?” One snapped, taking a threatening step forward.

“I am the purity that comes to cleanse,” she hissed, spreading her arms, as if welcoming them. “I am the wisdom that you hunt for at night. I am Ilahah, and I am here to give you peace and completion.”

One of the killers at the table stood up straighter, moving calmly. That was more of a hunter than the one who confronted her. He moved like a smooth monster, knowing and complete. He had to be the leader or something, wearing strange armor, his face nothing but an angry skull, much like her own.

It didn’t matter. Her atomizers were spraying her poisons in a wide arc as she waved her hands slowly, filling the air. Those closest her started to slump a bit, blinking tiredly, hazily. Good. It was good. She strode forward slowly, letting her hands sway and move constantly, detaching her canisters smoothly, slipping them into her belt before pulling out new ones. Every movement was measured, graceful, almost hiding what she was doing if they didn’t know what to look for.

“Reborn in water like the womb, I crawled forth and became more than I had any right to be. From darkness into light, I became Ilahah, and I am here to make you pay for what you did to me and my mawla!” Her voice lifted as she spoke, reaching higher and higher until she was screaming out.

Her anger did it. Her anger was what spurred them into moving forward. Her anger was what told them that she was a threat.

They moved like fire towards her, and she was water. She slid, catching her knife out of her belt, ducking out of the way of a wild swing, flicking her wrist to spray her poisons one way, slashing her knife another. She could do this. She had her anger, had her push to fight back and survive. These were the people that had pushed the Collector to torture her mawla. She would end them.

A crack echoed out, a killer near her falling as his head exploded. She let out a sharp cry of victory, knowing her mawla was there, watching over, keeping his eye on her through the scope, seeing her grace and her abilities. He could be proud of her.

There was a roar, a massive shape barreling past her into a few more men, sending them flying. Her Bane, using his strength to fight with her. Blake shadowed him, not near as fast, not as strong, but still helpful.

She found it was easy to use her knife on those people. With her anger, she could kill them. She could end their lives without a thought. They had hurt her family, the men that she loved. They didn’t deserve to live after what they had done. When she sank her knife into the chest of a wild eyed man, she felt nothing but her righteous anger. There was no satisfaction, nothing but the need to end them.

“You little cunt,” one of the killers hissed, shoving his way towards her. “Little white wearin’ bitch thinking she can fight around all her bodyguards?”

Not surprising that there was some male that doubted her just because she had a vagina. She gripped her knife a little tighter, swapping out her canisters quickly. “And you want to teach me a lesson for even trying?” She guessed, having seen enough movies to recognize the typical sexist bastard.

He opened his mouth to snap back, but all that came out was a grunt as a knife thudded solidly into his brow, sending him stumbling back. She whipped around, grinning behind her mask when she spotted her mawla leaping through the throngs of men, flicking another knife with ease towards another, his brow furrowed in his intense concentration.

Her lovers, her warriors…they were so fierce and strong. She had everything she needed, all there with her. The more she could train, the more she could fight to defend them, to keep anyone from hurting them ever again-

Someone slammed into her side, sending her sprawling. The impact to the floor was much harder, knocking the wind out of her just enough to keep her stunned as her attacker stood, grabbing her under the arms and dragging her into one of the hovels off to the side. It was just enough to be out of sight, enough to be potentially deadly.

“A former victim, I presume? Rising up to strike out against the source of your pain…intriguing. Not the first, no, but certainly the most threatening. None have made it as far as you and your brood,” her attacker rumbled, voice a low lilt, even through a mask. “How did you find us, I wonder?”

“None of your fucking business,” she hissed out, shaking her head to clear the dizziness. “Going to fight me or what?”

“I dare not attack a goddess, if what your skin says is true.” There was a laugh to his voice. Not quite as insane and wild as the others apparently, and resistant to her drugs, apparently. “Who did you and your protector harm? I’m interested to know which of my students attacked you.”

The leader? She blinked a few times, peering up at the skull mask, those dark, oddly intelligent eyes. “Why aren’t you poisoned?”

“Mm? Ah, the canisters on your wrists. Interesting. You enter first, present a distraction and poison them at first, and then the others ride in to take advantage of the weakness. Useful tactic. It has worked.”

“Except against you.” She moved to stand, if only so she could be a little more equal to the killer crouching near her. He was a shadow, all black armor and leather, the faint glint of knives as bright as the white of his skull mask. “You’re different.”

“I am the deliverer against evil, teaching a brood to go out and cleanse the streets of filth. I find it interesting however, that you were captured. You do not seem our usual type of victim.” He shook a finger at her. “The Collector snatched you up, didn’t he? I could never get him to properly focus on the correct task. He caught up two innocents in his game, and that was his downfall, yes? I have not received word from him in weeks.”

Well, he’d already figured most of it out… “My date and I were leaving a bar when he attacked. We were…looking for a motel.”

The killer let out a low laugh, shaking his head a little. “Presumed you were a prostitute, no doubt. He was quite blinded by his lust for his collection, I fear. He could not see that prostitutes are seldom as lovely as you.”

“Don’t you even,” she hissed. “Don’t even pretend to hit on me. It’s because of you my mawla was tortured! It’s because of you that I had to sell my body to try and barter for some peace for him. It’s because of you that the Collector was even allowed to touch me for a moment.”

The expression in his eyes changed instantly, slipping from quietly amused to absolutely stricken. “Did my student rape you?”

“Yes?” Her anger smoothed over a bit, her brows lifting. “I coaxed him into it, but it was still…yes. He raped me.”

“In all my teachings…” The killer snarled, turning his head away, breathing heavily. “This was not my intent. What happened to my good followers, those who craved my instruction…what happened to this city?”

“It was overtaken a year ago. Men were recruited to purify the city of its decadence and corruption. Your loyal followers were most likely recruited for it.”

“Purify the city? How?”

“Purification by fire.”

The killer let out an interested sound, tapping his gloved fingers against his mask as he thought. “And who attempted such a thing?”

“Where is she?” came a bellow from outside the hovel, and the echoing scream of a man followed after. “Where is Ilahah?”

“They did,” she said brightly, feeling immensely proud of her lovers. “The plan failed, but I don’t blame them for trying. Gotham is the shittiest city I have ever had the displeasure of visiting. But regardless of your intent with your teachings, you hurt my mawla, and you have to-”

“It was never my intent to have such fine men be harmed in my attempt to purify the city of the filth. I would like to meet these men.”

She scowled behind her mask, confused thoroughly by the killer that looked at her so brightly, like an eager child. “I’m pretty sure that’s not going to go down very well. You hurt me. Bane has broken people for less.”

“Perhaps if you show that I mean no harm?” He spread his hands pleadingly, his head tipping to the side like he was a curious dog. “It has been a very long time since I have had the pleasure of meeting anyone with similar thoughts as my own.”

Definitely insane. “I’m not even sure if you mean no harm. You tackled me. Hard.”

“My apologies. I wanted only to get you alone to speak with you plainly. Difficult to hold a conversation when there’s knives being thrown and people being broken.” He let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “But perhaps you are right. It is better if we meet again, on calmer terms.” Reaching down, he fumbled through a pouch on his thigh before slipping out a piece of paper. “In a weeks’ time, there will be a grand party. I will be in attendance, and I do hope you, and your warriors, will be there as well. It is a black tie event, of course, but thankfully a masquerade as well. I do hope to see you there.”

“I am very confused.” She accepted the paper all the same, glancing down at it. “Why at a party? Will I recognize you?”

“Of course. Am I anything less than distinctive?” He reached out, cupping her jaw carefully, the leather smooth and warm on her skin. “If you are what they claim, if you are a goddess…I find myself in doubt of my own religion. I look forward to meeting you again, fair Ilahah.” The killer leaned in, pressing his mask to hers, skull kissing a skull before he pulled away, ducking out of the hovel and sprinting off into the shadows before he could be seen.

“Getting really tired of this shit!” She found herself shouting before turning and slipping out of the hovel, stretching and popping her back. “Cryptic bastards and their armor and stupid flirting and I am not really ready to think that maybe I’m actually that alluring, dammit!”

“Little bird?” Barsad sounded as concerned as he sounded confused, gripping a knife tight in hand as he approached her. “Are you okay? Where did you go?”

She heaved a sigh, rubbing her eyes to try and work away the exhaustion that suddenly sank through her bones. “The leader of this little gang decided to have a private word with me. He left already, gave me an invitation to a party so we could talk again.”

“What is your read on him, habibi? Should we?” Bane strode up, thick arms spattered with blood, his expression near thunderous. “Did he harm you?”

“Not really. I’m fine.” She had to reach up, touch her fingertips to his mask, to soothe the raging beast. It seemed to work, as the anger melted from his expression, his shoulders relaxing. “When I explained what the Collector had done, he seemed regretful. And he seemed to hold admiration for what you tried to do to Gotham. He wanted to meet you. I advised against it, so he recommended another meeting, later. At some damn party.” She finally looked down at the paper, frowning. “Hosted by the Wayne Foundation.”

“A monster attending one of those overinflated, egotistical parties that does nothing but show the masses just how little they mean to the elevated heights…I do believe I have some respect for this man, if only to see what he is planning to do there.” Bane reached out, touching her jaw much like the killer had. “Do you wish to attend, habibi?”

“I…guess? Been a while since I’ve been to one of those fancy parties. Don’t think I have a dress to wear.”

“We can get one for you.” He slipped his hand back, into her hair, pressing a firm touch to the nape of her neck. “You were glorious, habibi. You moved like a nightmare, all death and vicious memory. You will be perfection at my side.”

Marriage. She should really tell him about the proposal.

“We need to move,” Blake cut in, trotting up. Right. He was there too. “Gordon held back the cops as long as he could, but they’re coming.”

“Let us get you home, habibi.”

The fact that fate kept her from telling Bane about Barsad’s proposal twice now made her skin crawl. She needed to tell him. It was important…so why did they keep getting stopped?


	19. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparations for the masquerade are in order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, you guys! But it's worth it because I got the most beautiful art commissioned from lovelovedeary (on tumblr) of our big old bear Bane and his habibi Sep! It's so beautiful I just...ugh its so amazing. All of her art is gorgeous so definitely go look, but for now, take a look at THIS  
> http://sepzet.tumblr.com/post/138530082222/lovelovedeary-september-and-bane  
> 

“I will be recognized, habibi.”

“It’s been a year, Bane. A year for people to calm down and get over it, and make costumes like you, to even make porn based on you.” It took all of her self control to keep herself from laughing when Bane’s expression twisted into one of disgust. “Yes, porn. Buff guys in masks screwing bimbos.”

“I feel violated,” Bane said softly, wounded. It was enough to make Barsad hoot with laughter, completely unsympathetic to the moment. “How would you feel if they made pornography of our ilahah, brother? Videos of her getting used up and violated by men who seek only to please themselves, ignorant to her own cries of need?”

The laughter cut off sharply. “Ah. Well. It is different when it is her, I suppose. At least you are dominant in-”

“Uh.” She cleared her throat, biting her lip. “A lot of it is Bane getting uh…well…with Batman…”

“What?” Bane growled out, slapping his book shut. “Are you to say that Batman has the better of me in those videos?”

“Um. Yes. As in Batman…fucking you.”

With a snarl, Bane rose to his feet, pacing across the floor. It was certainly a reaction she didn’t expect from him, but she supposed it was understandable. Bane was supposed to be strong and sure, feared by all, and yet he had been reduced to nothing but a whimpering mess in most of the videos she had seen. People thought whatever they wanted about Bane because they did not know him, did not know that he was still alive, still fierce and strong. If they knew he was still around, they would not be so brazen with their ideas of him.

“Perhaps if you go as yourself to this masquerade, then people would think you are a porn star,” Barsad chuckled, keeping his eyes bright with humor despite the rage that Bane cast his way. “Would be interesting if we made a video of us pleasing our ilahah, wouldn’t it? Perhaps put that video up with the rest and see if people can tell when it’s the real thing.”

“I am pretty sure people would think the video is fake. Most people seem to peg you for a rapist, Bane.”

“What?” His rage only seemed to continue before it melted away, the beast looking quite stricken as he sank back down in his seat. “Why? Why do they assume I would do such monstrous things?”

“Because you were a terrorist. They assume you would do such terrible things.” She set aside her own book, crawling over the couch to get into his lap. “They do not know you like we do, Bane. They do not know that you are truly a gentle, loving soul.”

“I want to argue, habibi, and claim to be fierce and destructive, but perhaps you know me better than I know myself.” Folding his arms around her, he tucked his mask against her neck, breathing out slowly. Instead of that old, medicinal scent she was used to, she caught the scent of herbs and flowers…her concoction was so much better than what he used to use. “Do you wish for me to go with you?”

“Of course I do. You and Barsad can wear suits and your masks and can both be my escort.”

“Perhaps Barsad can be your escort, and I can appear as your bodyguard.”

“Oh shush. We’ll figure it out.” Turning her head slightly, she peered over at Barsad, smiling a little. He was working so carefully on making her a dress for the masquerade, a pile of white cloth on his lap as he stitched something by hand. He did everything with such gentility, coaxing the best out for her. It was all for her, always for her, her dear mawla.

He glanced up eventually, returning her smile before lifting his hand, blowing her a kiss. He made her heart flutter in a way that was a little different than Bane did. She adored Bane, giving her warm comfort, feeling absolutely protected and worshipped, but Barsad…Barsad made her feel like a shining star, like every breath was an opportunity for a new adventure. After all they had gone through, it was just…too much to bear. Knowing that he had proposed and they were hopefully going to get married someday…he was going to be her husband. They were going to be married and she was going to have a ring on her finger maybe and…and she would be his wife. His bride. It brought to mind the sweet domesticity, cooking with each other and snuggling in bed and being so used to each other, clipping her toenails while he shaved his beard or something. Just…being so used to each other that nothing else mattered.

Bane was their master, his collars on them, a warm reminder, but…it was so hard to explain to people, if she had to. She understood how their relationship worked, how they could share love and feel intensely for more than one person, but if she ever had to explain it, she would be at a loss for words.

“What are you looking at, habibi?” Bane rumbled out, tilting his head a bit, brushing his mask over the metal around her throat. “Tell me what is on your mind.”

Barsad was on her mind, really. She could not look away from those intense blue eyes, all the humor and devotion flickering there. It was a relief to know that he felt the same way about her.

“Habibi?”

“Barsad proposed to me, Bane.” Why did she blurt that? Was that really a good time? Oh geez. “And I said yes.”

Was Bane angry? There was a silence, Bane unmoving, just breathing slowly. There was a touch of nervousness in Barsad’s eyes, but he set his sewing aside, moving as if he was ready to dash to her side if he needed to. It wasn’t like she feared that Bane would hurt them, but…she didn’t know. They should have told him sooner. He should have been the part of the proposal process, the love and the celebration…

“Well? Let me see the ring!” Bane pressed, lifting his head, eyes bright. “Is it worthy of your hand, habibi?”

“Oh. Um. There is no ring.” Not entirely expected.

“No ring? Why not?” He looked to Barsad, voice taking an accusatory tone. “You proposed to your ilahah with no ring to prove your worth?”

“It was sudden, brother. I…it was spur of the moment, before the attack. In order to face the source of my torture, I needed the reassurance of knowing I would have her hand after it all.” Barsad slid to his feet, walking over slowly. “I just…” When he reached the two of them, Barsad sank to his knees, resting his forehead against Bane’s knees. “I am sorry, brother. It was selfish of me to ask her to marry me without giving you warning. She is more yours than she is-”

“Is this why I am only learning of it now?” Bane sat up straighter, resting his hand on her lower back, his other on Barsad’s hair. “Did you both fear my response?”

“A little?” Her voice was weak. “I mean, it seemed to have happened without you and that’s-”

“Barsad. Sep.” Bane sighed heavily, stroking them slowly, reassuringly. “I wished for you to be able to wed someone, habibi. Give you the bond, the ring…but I cannot. Marriage escapes a man like me, simply because I do not exist in the modern world. I bear a title, no name, and leave no record in any land. I am a ghost, a phantom of a man, and a woman such as you cannot wed a ghost. Barsad is real, exists…he can give you what escapes me. Besides, my bevy…you already bear rings of my own.” He touch shifted, sliding to their collars, a finger hooking in each of the hoops at the front, tugging lightly. “To have my bevy wed each other while under my care…it is my greatest wish.”

How could she have ever doubted Bane? She reached up, fingers scrabbling over the latches on his mask. Unhooking them, she hesitated, letting him breathe in deep before she drew it away, leaning in to kiss him, over and over, desperate to show him just how much she loved him. Barsad must have felt the same way, as he rose up on his knees, hooking his hand over Bane’s shoulder to draw him down for his own kisses when she paused.

“My bevy,” he rumbled out, submitting to their adoring kisses meekly, a soft smile tugging at his lush, scarred lips. So lovely, so stunning, and she knew that he would deny it every step of the way. For being a brutal mercenary, he was shy about his appearance, and that made him all the cuter. She believed he was gorgeous, and she was fairly certain Barsad thought so as well, if his kisses were anything to go by. “I must insist upon something, my bevy.”

“Mm?” Barsad paused, letting his last kiss linger for a moment before sitting back, looking stupidly happy. “Whatever you need, brother.”

“Get rings. Quickly. The two of you should have a ring to bind you two together, since you already have your collars and cuffs to bind yourselves to me. I want to see that glint on your hands. I want to know of your bond. I want all to know of it.”

“Yes, brother. I will find a ring worthy of her. It will be my greatest task.”

“Good. Now let me see the love my bevy has. Show me.”

She couldn’t believe she ever doubted Bane, and she could see the same feeling in her mawla’s eyes. His joy was intense, as he lunged up and caught her lips before he even remembered to use his hands to cup her face. Each kiss was broken with him grinning too wide to continue, laughing softly in his glee.

“Barsad,” she huffed, fighting her own urge to grin. “He wanted to see you kiss me.”

“I’m trying!” He laughed, slinging an arm around her shoulders, just tucking his face against her neck. “I’m just…I’m too happy. I’m going to marry you, little bird. We’re going to be married and cared for by our master…is there a more perfect arrangement?”

“I doubt it.”

Bane rumbled out a laugh, genuine joy in the sound. God she felt like an idiot for keeping it from him. “My bevy is too sweet for me to handle. Perhaps this evening I should let you two have the bed alone, to allow you to explore your future spouse…”

“Never,” Barsad said first, taking the pressure from her. “You are a part of this. You will always be a part of this. Regardless of our marriage, we are a unit of three. There is no separating us any longer.”

“What he said.”

He breathed out slowly, closing his eyes, lowering his head for a moment. He just…meditated, it seemed, taking his time before looking back up, blinking that characteristic slow blink of his. “I could never have asked for better lovers. I have never deserved such devotion, such trust, such loyalty…I will strive to give you both all that you give me and more.”

She took a moment to press his mask over his face so she could let him take in his medicine, then drawing it away so she could kiss him. “You are more than the actions of the League, Bane. You are a man, and you deserve as much love as we can give.”

“I will get my due,” he clucked, taking the mask back, putting it back on. “But for now, it is about the two of you. Engaged…just as I wished. You two will have wonderful children and-”

“I’m having your kids too, dammit,” she sighed, tossing her hands up, managing to not hit Barsad in her exasperation. “I will have your children someday. I don’t know when, but I will. And they’ll be both of yours.”

“A conversation for another time,” Barsad cut in, drawing away. “Come, we must prepare for this masquerade. Bane already has his mask, but we need our own. Perhaps our respirators?”

“No, we need a moment where this leader will not recognize us. He knows those masks. We need to use another.” Bane sighed, leaning back on the couch. “But…ah. Perhaps my bevy should carry out their true selves in public.”

She had to pause, letting her thoughts attempt to focus. True selves… “You aren’t seriously suggesting that we wear our gear in public?”

“I am. The masks, yes, perhaps even the boots. Could be…fun.”

Fun. Right. She sighed, slipping out of Bane’s lap so she could stretch. “Whatever. Wouldn’t be the weirdest thing I’ve ever done.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Blake cut in, walking into the apartment. “Can you guys move out of the Batcave anytime soon? Seriously? I’m getting a…nevermind.”

“Hey John,” she said brightly, waving a little. “Got any news for us?”

“Well, the murder rates have dropped drastically since that strike against the warehouse, so that’s good. Gordon was able to hide who did it, so you’re…all safe.” He cleared his throat when she stopped right in front of him, glancing aside. “What?”

“Nothing. Go on.”

“Okay. So. I did some research on that masquerade you were invited to. Apparently Mr. Wayne is returning from his worldly travels for this party. So he’ll be there. I find it a little strange that the killer buddy of yours chose to meet you there…” He sighed, shaking his head. “If you three don’t mind, I’d like to go along as well, as backup.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” she agreed, shrugging. “The more the merrier…plus, if Batman is going to be there, and he recognizes Bane…”

“He’s not Batman anymore. Batman ‘died’, remember?” Blake shrugged, running his hand through his hair. “But you’re right. I think it’s best if I’m there to be a mediator and…explain. Things. God. I really wish I didn’t get mixed up with you people. I know you told me to back off and all that, but I really wish I was just a normal detective sometimes. Just…normal criminals, you know?”

“Sometimes we end up with a fate that we truly did not expect,” she agreed, reaching up to pat his shoulder. “But hey, you’re stronger for it. Bane taught you some of his skills, and you have learned that you could be the sort of law that this city needs. Whatever you were, whatever you’ve become, it’s better, right?”

“I guess?” He shrugged again, laughing softly. “I guess I do owe you guys something. Maybe that’s why I haven’t legitimately thrown you guys out.”

“You could try,” Bane said lightly, a smile broad enough to be seen in his eyes, brightening his voice. “It would be most entertaining.”

“I’m not sure I want to be a part of anything that entertains you.” Despite the defensiveness in his tone, Blake still managed to smile at Bane. “I’m just going to pray that you guys decide to find a place of your own.”

“We are tending to what is needed in the city before we return to the temple. There is no access to all of your…specialized stores from the temple. I must be sure to stock up before leaving such convenience.”

“Bane, no.”

“Bane yes,” he grunted, seeming concerned when Barsad choked. “Are you alright?”

“Ignore him,” she said quickly, fighting her own smile. “Moving on from the ever growing collection of sexual items that we are going to have to explain to Abdul-Hamid when he’s going to be tasked with putting them away…”

“I will explain nothing. He can ascertain their use just from looking at them.”

“You say that, but some of them are pretty funny shaped. Anyways.” She waved her hands vaguely, trying to move on. “Masquerade. Party. Focus.”

“Right. I’ll have to get a mask.” Blake sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “And make sure my one good suit still fits right.”

“Bring your suit here. I can make any of the necessary adjustments.” Barsad wiped his eyes, shoulders still shaking a little with laughter, as he finally pulled away from Bane’s side to go back to his sewing. “Believe it or not, I do have some talents with a needle. Her outfit was all hand made by me.”

“No shit? That’s pretty cool.”

“My mawla is very talented,” she said brightly, grinning over at Barsad. “There are no others like him.”

“I hope not. I’d hate to have my little bird wander from me because there was someone too much like me.”

“I would never.” Slipping up against Barsad’s side, she tucked herself under his arm, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist. He continued to sew on her dress, but he did pause to kiss the top of her head. “There will never be anyone else like you. No one could ever take me away from you and Bane.”

“Not without extreme force, and they would suffer for it,” Bane agreed, leaning down to pick up his discarded book from the floor. “Will you be staying for dinner, Blake?”

“Maybe. What are you guys having?”

“Pizza!” She chirped, bouncing a little despite Barsad’s complaints about keeping his sewing steady. “I want pizza!”

Bane hummed, considering it. “I suppose we can have takeout just this once.”

A small victory, but a victory nevertheless.

Barsad tied off a final knot, setting aside his work. “Dear brother, when is the last time you tested Blake?”

“It has been a time, I think. The attack calmed my fears of his survival for a time…do you think I should test him again?”

“Perhaps.” Barsad shrugged faintly, bundling her up closer to his chest. “He will be coming with us to the masquerade, where nothing is certain, where we will be facing a killer that has conducted mass atrocities both directly and indirectly. I would like us to be certain of our fight there, if there is one.”

Bane’s expression softened, closing his book carefully. “You do not have to attend, brother.”

“I want to. I want to be with my little bird.”

He nodded faintly, rising from his seat. “Very well. Come, Blake, let us see how you face a larger opponent, one who is stronger and faster than you.”

“Really? You think you’re faster than me?”

“Without a doubt, child. You have not been trained as I have. Come, we can train you, to give you even a shadow of my abilities. It should be enough to sustain you against most opponents.” He gestured vaguely, head tipping slightly as he watched Blake head off. “And what do you intend to do while I train him, brother?”

“I intend to celebrate our engagement, if I may. I do not wish to separate the three of us, but with you properly occupied with the child…I’d like to try that date again.” He glanced at her, smiling cautiously. “A different kind, but still a date.”

“A perfect idea, brother,” Bane agreed, stepping over so he could press his mask to first Barsad’s brow, then her own. “I shall return with food later. Enjoy yourselves for now.”

“Another date?” She asked brightly after Bane left, grinning up at Barsad. “What did you have in mind this time?”

“Something here, in the apartment. I’m not sure I’m entirely ready to try a date out in public, but it’s definitely worth a shot here at home. I was thinking maybe a movie, and…” He trailed off, glancing aside. “I really want to take you, little bird. Just me. All the focus between me and you, just…is that selfish of me? To want you all to myself right now?”

“Not even a little. I want you all to myself too,” she said brightly, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. “Show you just how much I love my mawla, give you everything…” Tightening her grip a bit, she shook his head a little by the fistful of his hair. “Maybe have you as more of a main event than just a warmup.”

He chuckled at that, tucking his face against her neck, sighing heavily. “Well when you put it that way…”

“Hey now, remember back at my old home? When I sucked you off? That had been wonderful. You looked so sweet, so tortured and needy…I can do that for you again tonight, if you want.”

“We’ll see where the evening takes us, little bird.” With one last squeeze, he drew away, rising from his seat so he could stretch. His time of depression had made a few pounds drop from his frame, but he seemed to be recovering well enough, filling back out with lean muscle, returning to the perfectly gorgeous form he had had before, when she had first met him.

The thought made her sigh dreamily as she looked at him, smiling when he cast her a curious look. Waving it off, she stood as well, looking around at the Batcave as best as she could. Before, it had been barren, with sunken platforms, everything wet and slippery. With Bane and his bevy living there, platforms remained raised, even when no one was standing on them, covered with cheap rugs to cut down on the slip risk, lanterns scattered over crags to light the way. She was certain Bruce Wayne would have a conniption if he saw what had happened to his supposedly broody place of solitude. It now rang with laughter and love, with the occasional spice of hooves clattering. She almost looked forward to running into Wayne at the party.

She was certain she had met him once or twice at all the fancy parties her parents made her attend. She usually zoned out for most of it, so she didn’t remember much about him. He probably blended in with all the other snobs.

“Why are you smiling so much, baby girl?” Barsad laughed, drawing her into his arms. “What’s on your mind?”

“I’m just thinking about how it will be to have you and Bane at one of those parties I had to suffer through for years. I know we’re going there to meet that killer, but I just…god, I want to cause such a scandal while we’re there.”

“I believe that can be arranged. We’ll already be wearing our masks and boots…I’m sure I can get a grope or two in that will make any decent man blush.” He grinned as he settled his arms around her waist, his head tipping to the side. “Bane showing up to a party, with his bevy in tow…I’m sure we’ll be a scandal as soon as we step foot through those doors.”

“Good. Let the world see the scandal.”

“You really do love having everyone see you, don’t you?” He squeezed her a little tighter, his smile fading a bit, not out of lack of joy, but so he could look more curious. “You want the world to see you all the time.”

“I just…” She sighed, leaning in to tuck herself against his chest, closing her eyes. “I felt invisible for a long time. Many men at those parties I went to made jokes about thinking I was a man, which…it hurt. I thought my body was womanly enough that maybe…I thought, sometimes, that I was pretty. Beautiful sometimes, even. With my plain face and lack of makeup, sometimes I looked in the mirror and thought that I would find someone to love me. And then I’d hear jokes like that, have to suffer through and listen as the men around me complimented every woman at the party but me…I felt invisible, alone. And…and then you saw me. You saw me and you pointed me out and suddenly, I was a part of the world. The way you smiled at me, seemed happy to keep me company…I existed for the first time. You two made me into someone, made me into a goddess, made men see me and want me and…dammit, I want all those fuckers at those parties to see me, see what I have always been and I want them to regret treating me the way that they did. I want them to be jealous and I want them to try and woo me and I want…I want…”

“What do you want, little bird?” His voice had little humor in it, serious, near deadly. “Tell me.”

“I want them to suffer for ever having hurt me. I want them to burn.”

“Ilahah,” Barsad growled, his voice taking a tone she only ever heard hinted at when he spoke to Bane. “We can, if you want. Attend the party, meet this killer…and then burn the building to the ground. Would you like that? I could take post outside, snipe the people that manage to escape the flames.”

Her mind was blank at first, working over the sudden change in tone, wondering why he sounded different…oh. It was the tone of respect, the one he used when receiving an order, a mission. “You would, wouldn’t you?” She drew back, looking up into his eyes. “You’d burn that place to the ground just because I asked you to.”

“I would. I would do it again and again, only because you asked me to.”

She couldn’t help but smile, reaching up to trail her fingers over his lips. “Is it because I am to be your wife, or because you believe in my ideals?”

“Can’t it be both?” He smiled again, spreading his hands over her back, his fingertips pressing lightly into the tensed muscles there. “As much as you are my love, I also serve you. I was never meant to lead, never meant to command without a command being given to me first. You give me an order, little bird, and I will follow it to the letter. I trust your decisions, just as I trust Bane’s.”

It was a strange feeling to her, but she supposed one could be dominant and submissive all at the same time, and that was Barsad. She wasn’t sure how she fit into the whole mess, but she was sure she had a spot. She was submissive to Bane, that was for damn sure.

“I don’t deserve all the power you give me,” she sighed, looping her arms around his neck. “I don’t know what to do with it.”

“You deserve all of it and more, my love. And you don’t necessarily have to do anything with it. It is yours, regardless of its usage.”

She huffed, tucking her face against his chest again. “Can’t we go on that date now? I’d like to have that date.”

“As you wish, little bird.” He gave her one last squeeze before stepping back, offering his arm. When she took it, he led her on through the cave to the higher apartment. It was becoming a little more comfortable to live in, with Bane constant fussiness on everything being perfect for his bevy. It seemed as though his funds were endless as he used them to buy more and more for them. Better rugs, a bigger bed, more dishes, Bane got irritated whenever she protested that they weren’t staying there permanently.

“It does not matter how long we stay, it only matters that I keep my bevy as comfortable as possible. I will not fail you in this,” Bane had said, swatting Barsad with a broom to chase him out of the room. He had been quite frantic to clean for a week, glaring whenever Blake laughed at him.

But it didn’t matter at that point. All that mattered was that there was a perfectly comfortable couch to settle into as Barsad fiddled with the television. She had to grin at the sight of the powerful terrorist struggling to find a good movie to put on, reminding herself that her life had certainly taken a turn for the stranger.

When he was satisfied with his selection, Barsad heaved a heavy sigh as he collapsed onto the couch beside her. With an insistent grunt, he tugged her into his arms, tucking her head up under his chin so they could both watch near wrapped up with each other. The metal of his collar pressed against her brow, slightly warmed from his constant body heat, and she found it oddly soothing.

She wasn’t quite sure what movie it was that he put on, not that she really cared. It had been a long time since she’d had the chance to just sit with him, let herself be held. At night, when they slept, they held each other, but it was different when Bane was there too, stroking them, holding them close. He was their protector, watching over their love with a steely eye; he would not let them suffer ever again. As much as she appreciated hearing that low rasp of his breathing, it was nice to just be with Barsad, to feel those talented fingers trailing over her shoulder, stroking a touch so light that he had to be unaware that he was doing it.

“Are you even watching the movie, little bird?” His voice was a tired mumble, apparently having been dozing as much as she was.

“Not even a little,” she sighed happily, squeezing him around the middle tighter. “Are you?”

“A little. I find the sweet little bird in my arms is far more interesting than any kind of movie, hayete.”

“I don’t know that word. What does it mean?”

“It means ‘my life’. You will always be my life, my love, my everything.” He sighed softly, turning his head to kiss the top of her head. “I adore you entirely. As much as I regret not loving my wife the same way, I am grateful that I had a time of learning to understand just how much you have captured my heart.”

“So poetic.” Sitting up, she touched over his lips, grinning at the absolute devoted look in his eyes. “My gorgeous mawla.”

“No more gorgeous than you, hayete.” He pressed a soft kiss against her fingertips before brushing her hand aside, drawing her in for a kiss. It started out short and sweet before it started to become more involved, taking longer and longer in between breaks. “I’m thinking the date should have just started in the bedroom,” he chuckled, brushing his nose against hers.

“Oh?” She shifted, slipping into his lap, settling her hands against his chest. “Have plans?”

“Mm, only to worship you entirely, all over your sweet, decadent body…” His hands slipped down, sliding over her sides, squeezing the soft roll of fat at her sides. “So plush and sweet, my little bird…”

“I dare say you have a fat fetish,” she said flatly, startling him into looking up at her.

“I mean no offence, hayete, I mean only to appreciate every inch of you. No matter what you decide for your body, just know that I find your deliciously plump body at this moment to be instrumental in getting me hard. If you wished to change, I would support you of course, but right now…right now I am quite sure I could come just from grinding against your belly.”

She wanted to be cranky about being called plump, but she was, and she found it…warmed her. She was all soft and dimpled and he loved it, craved it, just as Bane did. Where they were all rigid muscle and sharp angles, she was soft and round and they always stroked and pinched and nuzzled…Bane insisting she eat more to keep her round. Even if he wanted her to eat better, he still faltered and baked for her, got her treats and chocolate and made sure she had plenty.

Fat fetish indeed.

“Perhaps, my sweet little bird…” he trailed off, glancing aside. “You would allow me to…” He seemed embarrassed, clearing his throat. How odd. A man who laughed and charged openly through the cave in his gear, blushing at some request… “I would like very much to…”

“Barsad. Spit it out.”

“I would like very much if you would allow me to eat your ass,” he blurted, blushing so deeply even his ears were rosy.

“Geezus,” she gasped, covering her face with her hands. “Barsad!”

“I’m sorry! I just…I want to taste you very much, to worship that…gorgeous ass of yours so entirely. To have my face buried between your cheeks-”

“Barsad!” She waved her hands, startling him into silence. “Can’t you be normal like other men and just want to fuck me in the ass?”

He made a face. “Why would I want to fuck you in the ass? The most pleasure you can get from your ass is from the outside. Burying myself inside you would lead no more pleasure for you than what I can do with my mouth. No, if I am to enter you, then I will do so in your lovely silken cunt, hayete. Do most men want to take their lovers in the ass these days?”

“Apparently? They say it feels better.”

“For them, maybe. Why would they put their lovers through such discomfort by…” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. I notice you are avoiding giving me an answer…do you not want me to?”

Good question. The idea of it always weirded her out a little, unsure if she wanted anyone’s mouth around her ass…but was it really too much to ask for? She had already drunk of Bane before, and that could be seen as horribly disgusting compared to what Barsad wanted to do. And it was just Barsad, and he just wanted to worship her to the fullest of his abilities. How bad could it be? “At the end of tonight, you can. I want to be able to kiss you and have you eat me out without the fear of…I don’t know, cross contamination. After I am satisfied, then you can have at it.”

He grinned, cupping her face with both hands. “My sweet little bird, you spoil me. I will do my best to satisfy you entirely, so that I will have earned the decadent treat of your exquisite ass.”

“You sound stupid.”

“I am stupid,” he agreed easily, smiling softening. “Is there anything you want to ask of me? You’ve already given me so much…I owe you something. Anything, baby girl, and I’ll give it to you.”

The first thing that sprang to mind was far too sappy to say on the tail end of her just giving him permission to eat ass, so she threw that out the window. What did she want from him? Something strange, something she would never think to ask for from anyone…Too much to choose from, really, but plenty of it, she could have from Bane. He tied them easily, dominated them with a simple grace that bled just how natural he was at it. She didn’t need that from Barsad, and as much as she wanted to have a sort of anonymous encounter, at that moment, she wanted to explore the intimacy she had with Barsad. What to ask for…

“I want to fuck you,” she blurted, heat rising to her cheeks.

“Aren’t we going to-”

“I mean in the ass. With a strap on. If you get to play with my ass, then I get to have at yours…if that’s okay. Maybe. Please.” She bit her lip, trying to remain confident. “I know you and Bane have done stuff and I’m probably not that good but uh…I’ve always wanted to-”

“Yes. Of course, little bird, all of me is yours.” He drew her in, flicking his tongue against where she worried at her lip. “You want to do that tonight?”

“Whenever’s best for you?” She laughed weakly, slipping her hands up into his hair. “Kind of a spur of the moment idea, really. Do we even have a strap I could use?”

“Of course. Bane prepares for every contingency. He thought you might want to do something of the sort, though he really did think you’d want to fuck Blake first. Little surprised you chose me, to be perfectly honest. But…” He trailed off, humming softly as he bit his own lip, eyes lidding as he thought about it. “Mm. Yeah, I think that’ll suit me just fine.”

“You’re not worried? I could end up hurting you…”

“I know you won’t. I trust you.” He had to kiss her again, more hunger in it than she had honestly expected. “C’mon little bird, let’s get into bed.”

“Is there anything that doesn’t turn you on? I swear, I really need to think of more to try and throw you off guard.” She slid out of his lap, taking a few steps backwards before turning to head for the bedroom. “Maybe I should try and think of a few things that freak you out…”

“Anything you could think of would freak you out just as much, little bird. Anything that pleases you, really pleases you, is something that I would want too. I love seeing you smile, the way your eyes light up, how you almost seem to twirl a little when you move around the cave…seeing you happy is the most wonderful thing I have ever witnessed. I would do anything if only to see you smile.”

Poetic sap. She chuckled softly as she toed off her shoes, kicking them under the bed. “If only my smile were as pretty as yours.”

“You have a gorgeous smile, baby girl.” Slipping up behind her, he hugged her around the waist, nuzzling into her hair. “You smell so sweet too…everything about you is perfection.” His hands started to wander, sliding up under her shirt, rubbing his thumbs against her belly. His hands slid upwards, cupping her breasts through her bra, squeezing softly. “May I undress you, hayete?”

“Of course.”

Each touch was reverent as he eased her shirt up over her head, letting his fingers brush over her bare sides before he undid her bra. He stroked and squeezed so delicately, taking his time before undoing her shorts, pushing them down with her panties. He knelt behind her to help her step out of them, hesitating before sliding his hands up over her thighs, squeezing her ass.

“Hey now,” she warned. “I said later.”

“I know. I’m just enjoying what’s in front of me.” He squeezed again, humming happily. “You have the best ass I have ever seen. So perky and big and…” With a content sigh, he leaned in, pressing his cheek to one of hers. “Everything on you is absolute perfection.”

“I have acne and weird moles. You’re so full of crap. Now get up here and kiss me.”

“I happen to like acne and weird moles. I have my share of them. Everyone does. You ever see the one on Bane, the one-”

“The one on the inside of his thigh?” She chuckled, stepping away so she could crawl on the bed. “I pointed it out the other day and he swatted me upside the head.”

“He is fond of the swat. He swats me much harder than you, but still.” He remained crouching on the floor, watching with a soft smile as she situated herself on the bed. “He really does remind me of an old bear, as you call him. Cuffing his cubs and growling his displeasure. I’m sorry, his bevy.”

“I googled it, by the way. Bevy means group of deer.”

“I figured.” Barsad rose slowly, toeing out of his sneakers before starting to undress, dropping his clothes in a haphazard pile on the floor. No matter how many times she saw either of them naked, she would not ever get used to how gorgeous they were. Barsad was beautiful, lean grace with just enough hair to thrill her, so smoothly confident now. “We are his deer, and he is our…bear.”

“Not hairy enough to be a bear,” she snorted, grinning when his eyes lit up with laughter. “Are you a fan of porn, my dear mawla?”

“Not particularly, but I do like to know what’s going on in the world, unlike our lovely master.” He reached up, touching his collar lightly as he slid onto the bed at her feet. “And I do know that those videos you mentioned are probably a lot more popular than Bane would like them to be.”

“Bane would be mortified,” she agreed, reaching out to hook a finger in his collar, dragging him up over her. “We can worry about his feelings later.”

“I agree,” he sighed before pressing in to kiss her, easing his weight down on her gently. “I can’t wait to marry you,” he whispered in between kisses, slipping his hands up her arms, coaxing her into resting them above her head. “Have a ring on your finger, a ring on my finger, call you my own…proudly call you my wife…”

She grinned, letting out a soft sigh of pleasure as his kisses traveled down to her neck. “I can see it now. Oh yes, this is my husband, oh and that there is our master. He dresses us up as deer and swats us when we cuss too much. We met when I was traded in a hostage situation when Gotham was occupied. No, not those terrorists, the other ones! On my first date with my husband, we were kidnapped by a serial killer, but it’s all for the better because it brought us all closer together. No no, these collars and cuffs are perfectly comfortable. Better than 50 Shades of Grey, I swear it.”

“You prefer the boring old story everyone else has?” He teased, nuzzling against her breasts before latching on one, suckling softly with a pleased groan. “Fuck, you have the best breasts I have ever seen,” he muttered before switching over to the other side, hands rubbing restlessly over her thighs. His tongue swirled against her, making her groan, but he hesitated, pulling back a moment. “You were pierced.”

“How the fuck do you know that?” She lifted her head, grinning when he lifted a brow at her. “Yeah, I had both of them pierced, but they were migrating so I had to take them out. How did you know?”

“The skin here is a bit tougher. Scar tissue. I am well acquainted with scars, little bird.” He leaned back in, latching once more, his sound of delight changing, deepening. It was what made him slide down, kissing and biting over her belly instead, rubbing his nose against her softness.

It was wonderful to just ease a hand into his hair, holding on loosely as he bit and licked his way between her thighs. She didn’t have to ask, didn’t have to beg, he was just happy to eat her out slowly, like she was a treat to be savored. His tongue stroked over her clit in teasing swirls, his fingers brushing against her before easing in, thrusting inside her slowly like she needed to be stretched open. It was reverent, delicate, like she was new and ready to be broken.

It was more than enough to make her pant and groan, legs spreading wider across the bed, welcoming him in. Still he lingered, suckling on her clit much like he had for her breasts, curling his fingers upwards against her gspot, humming when she quaked and gasped out in shock.

“You’re going to make me come,” she whimpered, writhing back against the pillows. “You’re too damn good with those fingers of yours.”

“Just want to make sure my little bird is wet enough for me,” he sighed, turning his head to bite against her thigh. “You taste so sweet…”

She chuckled faintly at that, closing her eyes tighter when he resumed his attention on her clit, his tongue swirling so expertly. “Oh fuck, Barsad…please…”

“Mm?” His gaze flicked up towards her face as he slid down, replacing his fingers with his tongue, slowing slipping it in and out of her.

“I want to come on your cock, Barsad, not your fingers. Please.” She was breathless with his touch, his slow worship of every inch of her. “Make love to me.”

“It’s what I’m doing now,” he reminded her, but he pulled away, sliding up her body so he could kiss her again. Each press of his lips made her shudder. “How do you want me, hayete?”

“Doesn’t matter, as long as it’s you.” She eased her arms around him, biting her lip when she felt the length of his cock slide up against her. He seemed content to just grind there, just pressing breathy, open mouthed kisses against her neck, fingers tapping over her sides. She had to reach down, had to brace her hand against his cock to guide him in. Only then did she get the sweet bliss of him filling her, the stretch, the glorious heat…

“Like silk,” he gasped, grinding his hips against hers. “You feel so perfect inside…”

Words didn’t matter after that. It was just quiet breaths, her own breathy moans, his needy gasps. There was no rush, just them kissing and touching as he thrust so gently into her, barely moving the bed. It was so slow, so sweet, her heart aching with love. They didn’t need to speak, only parting for a moment so they could move into a new position. Even stretched out on her belly, legs splayed wide, she had felt nothing better than him over her back, groaning his pleasure into her ear as they moved together. It was like they couldn’t bear to be apart for even a moment, skin on skin from head to toe. Their hands laced together, squeezing tight, like they were all they had for one another, that they were alone in that world and all they needed was each other.

“Can you come like this, baby girl?” He whispered, flicking his tongue against the shell of her ear. “Do you need more?”

“I don’t want to ruin the mood,” she laughed breathlessly, turning her head to peer back at him. “This feels so good…”

“Too good,” he agreed. “Come on.” He drew out, rolling her onto her back again, lifting her hips up before he slid between her thighs entered her again. “Lift your legs up higher, little bird, hold them up.”

Hooking her hands under her knees, she hitched her legs up as he asked, her gasp dissolving into a moan when he seemed to slide deeper inside her. “O-oh,” she managed, biting her lip. “That’s…even better.”

He hummed, slipping his hand down so he could rub his thumb against her clit. “Better?” He laughed when she moaned again, pressing harder. “Looks like it’s better.”

All she could do was whine, pressing her head back into the pillows as he started to move again, slow, deep thrusts that left her breathless. The combination made her toes curl, her nails dig into the soft skin behind her knees. As much as she loved how overwhelmed Bane’s cock made her, Barsad’s fit her perfectly, pleasing her gently and slowly, unlike Bane’s explosive delight.

Her orgasm built slowly, but she was vocal about it. More sounds fell from her lips, sweat seeming to coat every inch of her as it finally built to a head. She let out a soft wail as she finally did come, arching faintly as her sweet, beautiful mawla continued to fuck her through it, his hips jerking once before he slid in deep. He let out a low sob as he came, biting his lip as he spilled inside her.

He worked her up twice more with slow kisses, with his fingers inside her, with worshipping touches over every inch of her. And each time, he worked her into a gradual orgasm first before finding his own. Part of her regretted that Bane wasn’t there to enjoy it with them, but it was good enough that he knew that they were sharing their love all the same. She wouldn’t hide anything from him again…he could be trusted with it.

“Are you satisfied, my love?” He asked tentatively, kissing her shoulder.

“Mm? Oh. You still want to…”

“Of course. Please?”

Well, he had done what she wanted… “Alright,” she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “How do you want me?”

“On your knees, please.” He couldn’t hide the eagerness from his voice, guiding her into kneeling on the bed, pressing her cheek against the pillows, her ass offered up. He moved behind her carefully, stroking his palms over her ass, squeezing gently, fairly kneading her cheeks. “Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.”

She grunted, hiding her face in the pillow. She knew it really wasn’t gorgeous; it was an ass. Asses weren’t gorgeous. Especially when he spread her cheeks, only seeming to coo in delight when he looked over her. Asses were gross, far from pretty, but she promised. And so far, Barsad had never done anything that she hadn’t loved…maybe he was right about this?

Still kneading, Barsad leaned in, pressing kisses over the cheeks of her ass, going slow, working his way inwards. Every touch was light, almost tickling, but single minded in their focus. His kisses moved inwards, pressing against softer skin before his tongue brush out, skating dangerously close.

“Barsad!” She gasped, turning her head to look back at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously what?” He tipped his head to the side, smiling a little. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No, but…I don’t know. Why do you even want to put your mouth there?”

“Why not? It is just a bit more skin, a part of you…I want to explore every inch of you, little bird. Nothing on you is forbidden to me. Every part of you is sublime.”

It was enough to make her breathe out slowly, relaxing a bit more as he returned his attention to her ass. He was careful about it, never going too fast or too slow, kissing and licking gradually. He gave her plenty of warning, taking his time before dragging his tongue directly over her.

“Geezus,” she sputtered, biting her lip. It felt strange, wet in a place she didn’t really want to be wet…it was interesting. Not necessarily something she would ask for in the future, but interesting. It made her toes curl, just a little, but what pleased her most was the low hums of Barsad behind her, sounding happy with what she had given him permission to do. Her lovers were strange. Far too strange.

Wouldn’t have it any other way.

A low rumble startled her into turning her head, spotting the bulk of Bane lurking at the edges of the room. He ducked his head when she looked at him, looking almost sheepish.

“Bane?” She whispered, not sure if she should be embarrassed about being seen. It did nothing to slow Barsad, however.

“I did not wish to disturb you,” he murmured, moving up to the bed. “Are you enjoying yourself, habibi?”

“It’s…not bad.” She smiled as he eased down beside her, his hand slipping into her hair, stroking softly. “It’s certainly new.”

“He is quite fond of using his mouth sinfully; aren’t you, brother?”

“When it comes to those that I love, nothing is profane,” Barsad huffed, reaching up to rub a finger against her ass. “You know that.”

“Yes, I do so recall.” Bane chuckled faintly, rubbing his thumb over the shell of her ear. “I am not alone in my oral fixation, I believe.”

“So how did Blake do?” She managed to ask, trying to sound carefree, despite the face buried in her ass.

“Let us not worry about him now.” Bane glanced aside, clearing his throat. “I know that this moment was to be between you and your mawla…but would you mind terribly if I joined in, if only for a little while?”

“Bane,” she and Barsad sighed at the same moment, casting him as patient of a look as they could manage.

“You’re always welcome,” she continued alone.

“I can understand if here are times that you two want to be alone-”

“Bane.” She rolled slightly, grateful that Barsad had enough sense to pull away, to let her sit up enough to place her hand on Bane’s shoulder. “Quit it. We love you. You can join in whenever the hell you want. Now c’mere.” She dragged him in, kissing over his mask gently, pleased when she noted his eyes closed, his breathing steady. “What do you want from us, Bane?”

“Perhaps I could have the tenderness that you two shared? I did not mean to intrude but…”

It took all of her strength not to laugh at how meek her beast could become, but she had enough strength left to draw him in.

Exhaustion only came after Bane, her dear ilah, had had his fill of her, just as gentle and sweet as her mawla had been.

She was unsure if she really slept anymore. Passing out was definitely more accurate.


	20. Masquerade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bevy goes to this little party and meets a few people of interest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Things have gotten a little topsy turvy, but lemme reassure you that I have no abandoned this fic! I love these characters far too much to ever leave them without finishing it. Even if it takes me a while, I WILL keep going with it! Please bear with me!

“Wayne is going to kill me.”

“He will have to get through me first, child. You have nothing to fear.”

Blake grunted faintly in surprise, glancing over at Bane. “You’d protect me?”

“I protect those who deserve it. You fall in with my bevy.” Bane returned the glance before reaching over, patting a heavy hand on Blake’s thigh. “Besides, habibi is fond of you. I wish to keep you hale and healthy until she changes her mind about you.”

“Weird way to put it, Bane,” she pointed out from the backseat, swatting at Barsad when he chuckled. “It sounds like you’re just saving him until I get bored.”

“I know how I sounded.”

Blake snorted softly at that, looking in the mirror so he could see her while they waited at a stoplight. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended. If you haven’t gotten bored of me yet, then I don’t think you will.”

“A fair assessment,” she agreed, rolling down her window so they could get a breeze. “Life is too exciting to get bored anymore.”

They were, after all, on their way to the masquerade. Blake had been so helpful as to drive them all to it, and she had to admit, she was a little pumped about it. The dress Barsad had made for her was gorgeous, a fairly westernized sari, she noted…she actually felt like she would do okay at the party. The wealthy parties she had been to over the years had always left her tense, upset, out of sorts…now she would have two lovely escorts. She didn’t need to worry…she would be fine.

“After we get there, I’m going to try and find Wayne right off the bat, try and give him some kind of…premise before he runs in to you. Sound good?”

“He may start a scene if you have no tact with the announcement, just so you know. It could ruin this entire meeting.”

“I’m pretty good at handling tense situations, thank you. You can remove your hand, by the way.”

Bane rumbled, squeezing Blake’s thigh before pulling his hand away. “You negated yourself within the same breath, child. You amuse me.”

She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes, choosing instead to look down at her mask in her lap. The empty eyes stared back at her, and yet she found it reassuring, in a sense. She figured something might go wrong at the party, since she was bringing two fairly infamous terrorists as her escorts, but she supposed it didn’t really matter anymore. Those rich people weren’t her people anymore. She didn’t have to associate with them at all if she didn’t want to…and she really, really didn’t want to.

“We’re here,” Blake said softly, pulling his car up along the curb. “How are you-”

Bane popped open his door, slipping out smoothly, wielding a grace with his bulk that never failed to amaze her. The paparazzi outside of the party started to frantically take pictures, but he seemed oblivious as he turned, opening the backseat of the car. “Your masks, my bevy.”

She hurriedly slipped hers on, glancing over at Barsad. He needed some help with the straps in the back, but Bane was there, helping him, attaching thin, delicate chains to their collars. Only then did he step back, allowing them to step out of the car, to join him in front of all the flashing cameras.

Bane, a hulking beast of a man, with his scarf tied over his mask for the time being, led his bevy into the party like it was nothing. They had their masks on, their hooves clacking against the marble, and it seemed as though the paparazzi could not take photos fast enough. They were quite a trio, that was for sure.

“They’re going to have a field day with these photos,” Blake pointed out, stepping up beside Bane. “This just in: giant wrestler brings kinky deer as escort to Wayne masquerade.”

“They’ll assume you are a part of this as well. Come, keep your head held high,” Bane tutted as he took Blake’s arm, draping it over his own before he continued in. “There is no need to find shame in this.”

“Why should I feel shame?”

“Because they most likely assume that you are my…what is the word, habibi?”

“Boytoy?”

“I was thinking more…boyfriend, that was it.” Bane patted Blake’s hand on his arm. “Societal standards in western civilization grates on my tolerance, but I suppose it suits us well enough. With added attention, we become yet more hidden.”

“I think you’re hidden already, brother,” Barsad piped up, nodding aside at another party goer. The man was shorter, and definitely plumper than Bane, but he wore the same mask, though it was made of far cheaper materials. “You’re popular.”

“Even without him,” Blake started, grinning widely, “I’m pretty sure everyone would just think you’re a porn star.”

Bane groaned loudly, startling her into laughing, unable to hold back. A few of the nearby people looked over, concerned, and that only made it worse. She had to wrap an arm around her middle, shaking with laughter until tears filled her eyes.

“I’m sorry, that’s just…it’s too good,” she gasped, shaking her head. “Bane the porn star.”

Barsad snorted, rubbing his hand over her shoulders. “That’s our little bird, finding humor when it really isn’t appropriate.”

“It’s hella appropriate. You have no idea what these people talk about at these parties.” She hummed, taking a quicker step when Bane tugged on their chains, on their delicate leashes. “So what’s the plan?”

“We socialize. Blend in. Wait until your…impromptu friend decides to show himself. He did say that we would recognize him, did he not?”

“And I’m going to find Wayne and attempt to diffuse the situation before it even happens. Just lay low for now.” Blake adjusted his mask before heading off with a determined step.

“In the meantime, I believe we should mingle,” Bane sighed, reaching up to brush his scarf back, revealing his mask. A few cast him interested glances, but there was no fear, no recognition. Gotham had known Bane to be the man who spoke calmly after destroying a stadium, breaking a man’s neck without a moment’s pause. This man in a suit, walking with two people on leashes…it didn’t match with what they had known. They looked, their gazes sliding off of him with disinterest after a moment.

“It’s a wonder this city hasn’t been destroyed before,” Barsad mused. “Such ignorance.”

She hummed her agreement, following Bane’s lazy pace through the party, glancing around for familiar faces. She was certain there were a few of them, but she didn’t much worry about it. She was certain that none of them would remember her, and if they did, who cared? They weren’t her people anymore. All she had was her League, all those men and women who knew brotherhood and sisterhood in their veins. They had nothing but each other, the bond that they created. All food was shared, all riches were given to the group. Without each other, what did they have? What was the point of possessions if their brother was going without? They loved each other dearly because when everything else failed, all they had was the man or woman at their side.

Gotham was selfish, always was. Maybe more of the world was a lot like Gotham, but in her narrow vision of the world, Gotham seemed like an utter pit of hell. Distant, cruel, unforgiving…and it had taken terrorists to show her that. Funny how the world worked.

“Always ready to cause a scene,” Bane mused suddenly, voice alight with humor.

It was enough to make her turn back, noticing Bruce Wayne working his way across the room, heading straight for them. Blake trailed after, saying something hurriedly, as if he could possibly stop him. She had forgotten what Bruce had looked like, and a part of her wondered if he could have ever been a better man…he was handsome at least, but not as handsome as her mawla or Bane.

“You,” Bruce hissed, eyes narrowed behind his, of all things, bat mask. “The fuck are you doing here?”

“Surprisingly calm, Mr. Wayne. I must commend you for getting a better grasp on your emotions,” Bane rumbled, eyes bright with barely restrained laughter. “I threatened to destroy your precious city, broke you, and yet all you do is question my motives. Such platitude, Mr. Wayne. If I answered every time someone questioned me, the world would be too full of too many wasted words.”

“You died,” Bruce insisted, gritting his teeth, baring them like a rabid dog. “Selina shot you. You’re supposed to be dead.”

“And yet, here I stand, unbroken and strong. Such a pity.” Bane tsked, blinking slowly as he looked Bruce over. “You have gained weight.”

“Why are you here?” Bruce insisted, stepping closer. “Wh-” He cut off when he noticed the chain in Bane’s hand, following it back to her and Barsad. “The fuck?”

“My bevy, Mr. Wayne. You know of Barsad, but this is habibi, Sep.” His voice took on a note of fondness as he turned his head to look at them, eyes warm with affection.

Bruce’s brow furrowed for a moment before clearing. “Shit. September Verhouse. So you’re alive.”

She ignored Barsad’s confused mumble at her full name, shaking her head. “What do you mean I’m alive? What made you think I wasn’t?”

“Your parents have hosted charities to try and find you. They said you were…” He trailed off, eyes flicking to Bane. “Kidnapped.”

“I went willingly,” she sighed, tired of the same old argument. “I’m willing to bet not a single cent of that money actually went to trying to find me.”

“Whatever,” Bruce said vaguely, waving his hands. “You have to leave.”

“I have an invitation, Mr. Wayne. I do not intend to leave before I finish my purpose.” Bane still sounded endlessly patient, looking around the party slowly.

Bruce grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you have any malicious intent or-”

“I have been in this city for months. I have trained John Blake so he does not die out on the streets. I have seen my bevy taken from me, tortured, and have done everything in my power to cleanse this city of those who would torture the innocent for sport. If I had sought to burn this pit of a city to the ground, I would have done so already. I tire of your city immensely, but for now, it does well for me to train habibi and heal my brother. I must admit that I have grown fond of some of the conveniences, but otherwise, you Gothamites can rot for all I care.”

Conveniences. She snorted, grinning when Barsad swatted at her. Bane had long ago gotten a large locker to store the collection he was amassing, an elegant box with a heavy lock “to keep his bevvy disciplined from temptation”, or so he had explained. All she knew was that their gear and the toys were inside, and he only took out what he wanted to use when he needed to use it.

Bruce still looked skeptical, but he seemed to relax, if only for a moment. “Can you attest to this, Blake?”

Relieved that he was being acknowledged, he nodded. “Yeah. They’ve been living in the Batcave. Turned it real homey too, despite my complaints. I’ve never seen so many Persian rugs.”

“I like Persian rugs,” Bane said simply. “The stone in the cave is cold. The rugs keep our feet warm.”

“The hell is he talking about?” Bruce turned his head to ask Blake. “Rugs?”

“It’s freaky, right? He cooks too. Pretty good cook. Insists on everything being healthy. Don’t even get me started on all the-”

“Some of those actions you have participated in, child. Are you sure you would like to share them with Mr. Wayne?”

Blake paled and then flushed when Bruce cast him another glance. She was well aware that Blake had watched the three of them from time to time, jerking off when he thought they wouldn’t notice. Once or twice, he had awkwardly approached her and Barsad when they were in their full gear, following Bane’s instruction on how to treat them. Blake was opening up to them, she knew, but it would take time for him to full accept what they were doing. All she knew was that he liked to stroke the fur of her mask when she was suited up, and that was enough for the moment.

“I don’t like you being here,” Bruce finally said, but he just shook his head. “But it’s not like I can make you leave. I’m not what I used to be. I don’t have the same kind of power that I used to have. Just…give me a fair warning before you do anything huge again.”

“You have my respect enough that I will do so. However, I do not foresee any kind of extreme action. I linger in this city to destroy the remnants of a gang that has been doing harm, and then I shall return home with my bevy.”

“Fair enough. Just don’t make me regret letting you stay here.”

“Such empty threats, Mr. Wayne.” Bane sounded terribly amused, but he turned to face her. “I imagine our friend is looking for you, habibi. Wander the party, but do not go too far. I will not have him hurting you.”

“I brought my knife,” she said softly, grinning when a proud look came over Bane’s eyes. “Trust no one and you’ll never be surprised.”

“Always a warrior, habibi,” he praised, pressing his mask against hers as he unhooked her leash. “Do your best to keep any blood off of your dress.”

“Hydrogen peroxide gets blood out,” she added.

“Fair enough.” He turned her before patting her rump with a solid hand. “Go play.”

She cast a faint wave over her shoulder before she worked her way through the party. It didn’t take long before she could feel more curious glances on her skin, assessing her. Her deer mask, her collar and cuffs…and she was certain the way her dress clung to her helped with that. After years of being ignored, only now was she appraised like a woman? She hated these people. Part of her wished she had agreed to letting Barsad burn the place to the ground. Another time, maybe.

“A Goddess walks on feet so solid,” a voice purred near her, startling her, even though she tried to hide it. “I did not think you would come.”

“It would be rude not to.” She turned finally, looking over who she supposed was the killer. His face was hidden behind a different skull mask, of course, but otherwise, he looked normal enough, with a suit and a glass of champagne carefully cradled in his fingers. “I don’t believe we’ve properly met.”

“I have a few names. With my armor, I am Abaddon. Does that suit you well enough?”

“I suppose.” She made herself sound bored, looking him over again, noting a strange sort of bulk to him that felt off. “Armor under your suit, Abaddon?”

“Weighted clothes, actually. I seem to have a few issues with disassociating at times,” he said carelessly, like it wasn’t a weakness. “I do better in my armor, but that’s not exactly appropriate party wear. Would hate to have these fine members of society pissing themselves.”

“I don’t know. Your ideas for them are startlingly more tame than my own,” she chuckled, head tipping to the side when she saw a smile read in Abaddon’s eyes. “So didn’t you want to meet Bane and Barsad?”

“I do,” he agreed, “but now I find myself wondering if I should turn you in for the reward money.”

“Reward money?”

Abaddon offered his arm, and when she took it, he started to lead her through the party. “You are September, are you not?”

“Sep, now. No fair, you know my name and I don’t know yours.”

“Marcus,” he admitted, glancing over. “Your parents have been looking for you.”

“You seem like a smart man, Marcus,” she started, squeezing his arm. “Do you really think I want to go back to my parents?”

“Not at all. But I do enjoy a good show, and I am certain you will act beautifully when you see your parents again.”

“They’re here?”

“I found that they attend most of these parties, pleading for someone to help them find their beloved daughter. Something about them has always rubbed me the wrong way, and I am curious to find out why.”

“They sold me. Like I was nothing more than a possession.”

Abaddon hummed, patting her hand. “How delightful.”

“Quite.” She scowled when she spotted her parents, digging her fingertips into Abaddon’s arm. “God, I’d forgotten how much I hated them.”

“Care to confront them? I would love to watch.”

“Voyeur.”

“Proudly.”

She scowled behind her mask, but let go of his arm all the same. Still, a chance to speak to her parents…might as well. Lifting her head high, she headed towards them, smiling faintly when their eyes skated right over her, unseeing, ignorant. Only when she stopped right in front of them did they focus, actually seeing her.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” her mother started, offering a limp hand to shake. “I am-”

“This is what you do now? Get pity money? This is a new low, even for you.”

Her father was the first to have recognition flash over his eyes, looking near breathless. “September?”

“It’s just Sep now, thanks,” she snapped, clenching her hands tight. “Why would you even pretend to try to look for me?”

“We were looking for you!” Her mother insisted, sounding scandalized. “We want you home again!”

“Why? You sold me! To terrorists! Just so you could keep your pretty, shiny things, you sold me like a piece of meat. Don’t play dumb. He told you that if he wanted to torture me, you couldn’t do anything, and still you agreed. And now you have the audacity to act like you care? Where the fuck did that come from?”

“We realized our mistake! We never should have-”

“Bullshit. Stop fucking lying to me, and tell me the real reason why you want me back. I don’t have time to deal with all your lies anymore!”

Her mother faltered, glancing at her father for a moment. “Richard has been asking about you. He wants to marry you.”

“Richard?” Dismay filtered through her as she tried to remember, tried… “Oh shit.” The man she had take her that one time, so distant and unfeeling on the couch. “Geezus.”

“Please consider. Wherever you’ve been, you can come home again, be comfortable and-”

“I’m engaged, mom. I have a fiancé, and a boyfriend, and I’m happy. They make me happy, and like fucking hell I’m coming back to marry some rich asshole.”

“You’re engaged? And…” Her mother scowled, fairly stomping her foot. “With those monsters?”

“Monsters? They’ve shown me more love than you could have ever imagined. You know what? I should thank you for selling me to them. Without that, I would never have realized what love actually is. You’ve never loved anyone but yourself for years, and now I finally have a chance to see it for what it is. So you can shove it, tell Richard to go get a fucking life, and you can stop this phony charade of…of caring about me. You’ve never cared. And being away from you has made me realize my true potential, and I am not going to let that go to waste. I will never, ever go back to that horrible cage you call home.”

“We can get you help. You’ve been with them for a year and a half, surely they-”

“I swear to god, I will fucking stab you,” she hissed, breathing hard as she seethed with rage. “Stop pretending to miss me, stop begging people for money, and stop pretending you want what’s best for me. We’re going to be in the city for a while longer, and I will know if you continue to…to be the scum of the earth. And I swear, I am unsure if I can continue to restrain myself around you.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Yes! For the love of…yes, I am threatening you. I am threatening the hell out of you.”

“You can’t speak to your mother that way!”

“You have never been my mother!”

“Little bird,” Barsad’s voice, low and soothing, beside her. “Breathe.”

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Right. She wasn’t worth it. She would never be worth it. “Let’s have you meet Marcus, and then we can go home.”

“Is this your fiancé? One of the terrorists you whored yourse-”

Barsad lashed out, hand so quick she nearly didn’t see it strike against her mother’s throat. All sound cut off from her, replaced with a sharp wheeze, her hands scrambling over her neck, as if that would somehow undo the wound.

“You may want to go to a hospital,” Barsad said calmly, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I believe I may have crushed your larynx.”

“I love you,” she said sweetly, allowing herself to be led away.

“I love you too, baby girl,” he chuckled, eyeing Marcus after a moment. “Is this the gentleman I’m supposed to meet?”

“A pleasure,” Abaddon said brightly, nodding faintly. “Shall we?”

“Of course.” Barsad continued on through the crowd, leading them onwards, presumably towards Bane. “It didn’t cross my mind that your mother might be here.”

“Me neither. It makes sense that she would be, though. I guess…I guess a part of me thought that she might be dead. Hoped, even.” She glanced aside at Marcus, who trailed after them like he didn’t have a care in the world. “I’ve never felt close to my family. This just kind of solidifies it, I suppose.”

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,” Marcus piped up, nodding to her faintly when their eyes met. “There is no obligation to feel a bond with those you had no say in being associated with.”

“Exactly.”

“Bit of an odd streak of wisdom from a man who trains others to be serial killers, but I’ll take it,” Barsad sighed, waving Bane down.

It was a bit strange to see Bane standing by a small table with Bruce Wayne and John Blake, but there it was. Blake seemed to be chattering quickly, waving his hands in near frantic movements as Wayne glared at Bane. And Bane…Bane just looked mildly amused with the whole situation. If anyone could find humor with an awkward situation, it was Bane.

“You expect me to believe that you don’t have any plans for the city?”

“I expect you to be paranoid, Mr. Wayne. I haven’t exactly left you with the most pleasant of memories in my passing. It is understandable that you would suspect more ill intent from me.” Bane turned his head slightly, gaze flicking to her as they approached. “Something has upset you, habibi. What has happened?”

“Found my mother,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Barsad punched her in the throat, though. Very satisfying.”

“I live to please,” Barsad chuckled, nosing his mask against hers.

“Very good,” Bane agreed, reaching over to squeeze Barsad’s shoulder. “And I see you have brought someone to me.”

Abaddon moved forward, pressing his hand to his chest, bowing slightly. “I believe I must apologize for the pains I have brought you indirectly. It was not my intent.”

“Regardless of intent, it happened,” Bane growled, eyes narrowing. “This is perhaps not the best place for this conversation.”

Bruce glanced between the two, brow furrowed in concern. “I feel like I’m missing something.”

“You are,” Bane said shortly, heaving a sigh. “You wanted to meet us, did you not? I am Bane. You are?”

“Abaddon to most, but Marcus to some. I know that my apology does not undo what was done, but I still feel the need to express a regret for having hurt you and yours. I sought to train the strong in the city to weed out the sick and the evil. It had worked out before, in other cities I have been to, but Gotham…Gotham contains evil everywhere. I have never seen a city like it before.”

“Then you can see why I sought to burn it to naught but ashes. A shame I failed, but there is good in the failure.” Bane tipped his head to the side, regarding Marcus thoughtfully. “You are not what I expected. I do not accept your apology, but I thank you for it.”

“A most reasonable response,” Marcus said softly, bowing his head. “Thank you for accepting it.”

Bane rumbled, blinking slowly, then looking to her. “An interesting man you have brought to me, habibi. You continue to amaze me, attracting so many unique characters.”

“That’s one way to put it,” she said dryly, leaning her head against Barsad’s shoulder. “Some people I really wish I hadn’t met.”

“You wound me,” Marcus laughed, glancing at Bruce for a moment. “As much as I would enjoy speaking to you more, you are correct. This is not the time, nor the place. Perhaps we could meet at a later date, at another place? I would love to pick your brain. All your brains. I am very curious about this…lovely clan you’re developing.”

“Clan.” Bane chuckled softly, moving closer to her so he could stroke his hand over her arm. Still, no matter how he touched her, his eyes flickered over the party, over the people milling about. “Not a terribly inaccurate comparison.”

“You are adding numbers with intimate bonds.” Marcus seemed to follow Bane’s gaze, then sighed. “Until later, then. I am quite certain you will find ways to contact me.”

“Indeed I will.” Bane nodded faintly.

“A pleasure meeting you all.” Marcus met her look for a moment, nodding slightly. “I look forward to knowing you more intimately, Ilahah.”

“What the f-” She started to sputter, but the strange man swept away into the party in a moment, ducking out a sight like he had been nothing more than a phantom. “The fuck are these people doing? Is this some kind of group prank because-”

“You continue to doubt that you are lovely, little bird. Someday you will see that the constant torture of being scorned is long behind you. The children you were around before mean nothing; here, among true men, you can be properly appreciated.”

“You’re all full of shit. Now is there anything else that we need to do at this party? Because I really want to leave.”

“You don’t like my masquerade?” Bruce fairly pouted, though judging from the faint light in his eyes, he was mostly joking.

“No. It’s full of shitty people like my mother. I wanna go back to the goddamn cave and maybe get a backrub. And let me tell you, I could have had this whole place burned to nothing, and I was nice enough to ignore the temptation.”

“Not too late to do that,” Barsad pointed out.

“A very good point. We should leave before I take you up on that offer.”

“My precious little bird,” he sighed, looking so lovesick that it made her heart flutter terribly. “May we go, brother?”

“Of course. I would not contain my bevy anywhere that they do not wish to be. We have met that strange man, and that is enough. Mr. Wayne, your choice in attendees is deplorable and your food choice was horrifically decadent. As you are no longer the Bat, I do not see why you continue this charade of being a disgustingly egotistical playboy. I advise you to rethink your life choices. Come, Blake, we are leaving.”

“Sure,” he said dumbly, scrambling to get to the front door so he could retrieve the car.

“Hey now, none of that was necessary.” Bruce started to argue, scowling. “I am a perfectly-”

“Nothing about you is perfect, Mr. Wayne. No one is perfect.” Bane turned, hooking his leashes back up to her and Barsad’s collars. “Not even my bevy.”

At least he acknowledged that. She just wanted to go home. She didn’t like these people, didn’t like the wealth that flowed through them, made them feel like they were somehow a better human than everyone else. The air felt thick with their egos, making her feel like she was suffocating. She wanted…

She wanted to be back in their temple, with the rough stone walls, the cool snow breeze that drifted through, the warmth of the League’s comradery, the low fires they had burning in every room…she wanted the simplicity, the shared meals, the shared conversation, the openness and welcoming that they used in everything that they did. She just wanted to go home and be among people who held nothing, and yet had everything.

Her mood must have been more obvious than she thought. Bane kept glancing into the back seat at her, his brow furrowed, and Barsad was tucked close enough that he could press gentle kisses to her shoulder every once in a while. She was grateful for it, but really, going to bed was the best idea for her at that point. She stared stubbornly out the window, hating the life she had lived before, full of such terrible people.

Being back in the apartment was such a relief. It was nothing like the League, but at least it was better than anything else they had seen that night. Blake said a soft farewell before leaving, to which Bane merely rumbled, and headed into the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” She asked tiredly, glancing at Barsad.

“I’m making tea. I think it would do you some good to have some as well, habibi.”

“I just want to go to bed,” she sighed, trailing after. Sitting heavily at the kitchen table, she leaned down to start unlacing her boots as Bane fussed with the pot. “Can’t we just all collapse and pretend there’s nothing wrong in the world?”

“I will not have us go to bed on such foul feelings. We will drink tea, relax, and feel better. Then we can go to bed and have pleasant dreams.” Setting the pot on the stove, he started to shift through the cabinets, looking for tea leaves. “It is not healthy to go to bed when you are upset.”

Grumbling, she kicked her boots away, slumping back in her chair. “Hot leaf water isn’t going to make me feel better.”

Barsad chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe, tugging off his own boots, setting them aside with his mask. “Having warmth in your belly will soothe, little bird. Have faith in my brother’s judgement.”

She still pouted, watching as Barsad went to the counter, drawing forward something from its place against the wall. He clicked a few buttons, a light coming on.

“Thankfully, hayete, I know you well enough to give you something that will soothe you properly.”

Her face twisted in confusion when music started to play. “Dumb pop songs?”

“Dumb pop romance songs,” he corrected, grinning. “Come now, no one can hear this music and not crack a smile. Dance with me!”

“You know I can’t dance. Don’t you start with me. And dammit, quit smiling, Bane.”

Bane put his hands up in surrender, shaking his head slightly, but the smile didn’t leave his eyes. Asshole. It didn’t stop Barsad from clasping her hands, tugging gently, asking, not forcing.

“Barsad. Really.”

Grinning brilliantly, her mawla started to sing along with the ridiculously overplayed song. Unfortunately, the song playing at the moment spoke the same message as what he was already insisting on, pushing for her to dance with him. She scowled at him, hoping that her upset expression was enough to dissuade him, but no luck. And the more he sang, the harder it was to fight it.

“Fuckin hell,” she growled, standing. “Fine!”

Laughing, Barsad swept her in, wrapping an arm around her waist as he guided her into dancing. The bastard kept singing, so damn cheerful sounding she had the overpowering urge to hit him. However, she couldn’t deny that…she was starting to move on from the shitty people they had to deal with at the masquerade.

By the end of that song, she wasn’t scowling quite as much, but not grinning near as brightly as Barsad still was. But…two could play at that game. When the next dumb love song came on, she pressed her lips together tightly for a moment before starting to sing with it as well.

Barsad’s eyes lit up in the joy of it, laughing softly as he continued to sway her in a lazy dance. She couldn’t deny that his smile was enough to…help her feel better. Catching a glimpse of Bane watching them, smiling just as brightly behind his mask…

Well, she supposed she wouldn’t have to hit anyone after all.


	21. Diagnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> September falls ill in a good way.

“So it’s like you’re a whole other person?”

“More like we relax enough to do away with whatever doubts we have in our daily life.” She glanced up at Barsad, smiling when he nodded faintly, encouraging her to turn the page and settle back down. “Wearing a mask and hiding your face can be truly freeing. Not unlike when you go and fight crime with that mask of yours. With your anonymity, you are free.”

Barsad hummed faintly, cradling the book carefully in his hands, reading over her shoulder. “Perhaps I should start wearing a mask more often.”

She rolled her eyes, settling back in Barsad’s arms. “You wear masks enough. Deer mask, skull respirator…that’s two more masks than most people wear. You’re fine.”

“So grumpy, hayete,” he cooed, pressing a kiss against her temple.

“Fah.” She frowned, focusing on the book they were trying to read together. Sure, she had a little smaller tolerance threshold for irritants, but after the masquerade…she thought it would be quite understandable. Dealing with her mother, meeting a weird cult leader...it was enough to make anyone a little irritated.

Blake hummed, checking the slide of his handgun before slotting it back into place. “So where’s the big guy?”

“No idea.”

Blake nodded a little, glancing around. “He lurks surprisingly well for being so huge. How does he do it?”

“It was necessary for his survival in the Pit,” Barsad said softly, resting his cheek against her hair. “Before he was strong enough to face threats directly, he had to hide away from ill intent. That skill in survival has followed him into his adult age. It serves him well. I aspire to be as multitalented as him.”

Interesting thought. She assumed that Barsad was quite comfortable with his talents. Bane had once told her that Barsad was near frightening with his skill as a sniper. He moved like a shadow from point to point, aiming for only a moment before landing a perfect shot, every time. Bane was quite proud to have him as his ally, he said. She had seen a glimpse of his talent at their attack, but that had been from afar most of the time.

Bane was right. She was totally attracted to strength.

Fighting the urge to smile, she turned her attention back to the book, running her fingers over the edge of the papers, trying to focus on the story. Unfortunately… “Goddammit,” she sighed, tapping the book. “Let me up, Barsad.”

“Mm? You okay?”

“I need to pee.”

“Again?” He frowned, loosening his grip enough for her to slide out of his lap. “If you were male, I would ask about the state of your prostate. Perhaps you have an infection. Does it burn?”

“You are not asking about how I pee. Just because I let you…do things that have to do with pee doesn’t mean I want you to check up on my health that way.” Pressing a hand to her belly, she frowned too. “But yeah I am peeing an awful lot. Whatever.” Shaking her head, she turned to head for the bathroom.

She knew she never really drank as much water as she was supposed to, and yet she was peeing near constantly. At least once an hour, she had to hurry to the bathroom, no matter how much actually came out. Irritating, that was for sure. It interrupted everything she tried to do lately. Ugh.

Cleaning up, she glanced at herself in the mirror. A week after the masquerade, and she just didn’t feel right. Emotions rang strangely through her veins lately. Dealing with a mother that she hated, family that felt nothing for her besides using her to barter in marriage…ugh. Shitty family, shitty bonds. Maybe a massage could make her feel better. She was certain that Barsad would be happy to give her a massage…he was always happy to do anything for her.

However, the moment she took a step from the bathroom, her vision swam. Her hand snapped out to brace herself on the doorframe, slumping a little.

“Habibi?”

“Bane?” She croaked, lifting her head, but the movement made everything swirl, everything disorienting and distant and… “I can’t…” Her legs gave out suddenly, everything turning black and distant as she collapsed to the floor.

She heard Arabic being shouted in the distance, was faintly aware of being moved, but really…keeping her eyes closed sounded like the best thing to be doing at the moment. She was fairly certain she dozed for a while, feeling far less dizzy the more she kept her eyes closed.

However, a persistent touch kept getting brushed across her brow, coaxing her into waking. She let out a soft sound, taking her time opening her eyes. It was just Bane, brushing her hair back, stroking his knuckles down her cheek.

“Hey,” she croaked again, smiling a little.

“Habibi,” he breathed, sounding relieved as he leaned down, pressing his mask to her brow, his breath ghosting over her skin. “I worried.”

“I know. Sorry.” Taking her time, she glanced around the bedroom. “How long have I been sleeping?”

“About two hours. I insist that you sleep more. Sleep encourages healing, and I...want to be certain that you re okay.” His brow furrowed as he continued to stroke over her face, sitting back. “Do you require anything?”

“I need to pee again.”

“I have a bedpan.”

“Oh my god no, Bane, no.” She started to try and sit up, hesitating when everything spun again. “Oh. Shit.” Forced to settle back, she re-evaluated her life choices. “Okay so…maybe that’s not such a bad idea.”

“I thought so.”

As humiliating as it was, she was at least partially grateful for it. At least then she didn’t have to get up and risk embarrassing herself with vomiting and peeing herself on the way to the bathroom. And it was just Bane. Bane wanted to do this for her, wanted to make sure she was comfortable and healthy and definitely not puking everywhere when she went to the bathroom. She could trust him with this.

“Sleep, habibi,” he whispered, stroking her cheek when it was all done with. “I will wake you later.”

She supposed that was okay. It was easy enough to fall back asleep, to let herself rest and work on not being dizzy as hell. She really wanted to try and think about a way to combat it…she had more than enough herbs on hand to mix a few medicines to keep her illness down. She was unsure of being able to handle her needing to pee all the time…she had no idea where that was coming from at all.

Worries of her herbs started to fade away into her dreams, becoming surprisingly vivid dreams of Bane and Barsad in bed with her. They were lovely wet dreams, of course, but considering how ill she was in waking life, she wished that she’d just sleep, no dreams. It almost seemed to plague her, like she could actually feel their touches on her skin, hear their voices whispering filthy things in her ear…distracting, to say the least.

God, why were they even still in Gotham? Couldn’t they just go back home and do nothing there? At least they liked everyone back at the temple. At least they didn’t have to worry about anyone getting kidnapped there. When she woke up, she would make sure to ask if they could go home, go back to the temple, where she was ilahah and everyone just wanted her to be happy.

She grunted faintly in her sleep when she felt a touch more solid, more real on her wrist.

“Hush.”

That was real. She frowned, working on opening her eyes. Everything was still fuzzy, the room dark. “Bane?”

“Sleep, ilahah.”

Wait. She fought to open her eyes even more, blinking quickly to clear the haze so she could look up at-

“Abdul-Hamid!” She gasped, face splitting into a grin. “You’re here!”

“Indeed I am, ilahah,” he chuckled, not looking up from the watch he cradled in his palm, his other hand around her wrist. “And I am not alone.”

It took her a moment to notice the man lurking just behind him. “Kojo.”

“Ilahah,” he said reverently, smiling softly. “It is so good to see you. It has been too long.”

“No kidding. Just…how…why are you here?”

“Bane called for us. We found a jet and flew over as quickly as we could manage…he sounded very worried, ilahah.” Abdul-Hamid set her arm down, stroking it gently before settling his hands in his lap. “We could not get to you fast enough.”

“Um. That’s one hell of a flight, guys. How long have I been asleep?”

“Many hours. Your body needed rest.” 

“Guys, that’s like a twelve hour flight.”

“We took a very fast jet.” Kojo stepped around the bed, sitting on the edge so he could lean over her, kissing her forehead. “We were eager to see you.”

“I’m so happy to see you both here,” she said brightly, but something nagged at her. Bane called them here…god, he must think there was something truly wrong with her. It made her feel more than a little afraid, but she did her best to just smile, just be glad that two of her favorite members of the League were there with her. “I missed you both so much.”

“Even with your two loves to pamper you? They are not doing their jobs if you had time to miss us,” Abdul-Hamid chuckled, feeling her brow. “Are you still dizzy?”

“Probably. I dunno. I don’t really want to test it to find out.” She closed her eyes at his touch, smiling a little. “I dunno if our bed is big enough for all six of us to fit.”

“Six?” Kojo shifted, carefully laying down beside her. “Is there another we do not know about?”

“Mm. A former detective named John Blake. He’s kinda become a part of this…hard to coax him into bed, though. Only managed to fuck him once. He’s so shy about everything. I swear he has a huge crush on Bane, but will deny it to the grave.”

The two of them chuckled, Kojo content to just snuggle close while Abdul-Hamid fussed over her. As much as she wanted to continue to worry about her health, the growing joy of having a piece of home with her was almost too much.

“Tell me of other things that have happened while you were here,” Kojo pressed, reaching up to tuck her hair back, off of her face. “Tell me of the wonders of Gotham with you in it.”

“Gotham is shit and you know it,” she sighed, closing her eyes. “Bane has been doing an awful lot of shopping; I swear this city is going to corrupt him.” Still, it made her smile fondly at the thought. “He’s so determined to spoil his bevy rotten.”

“A noble task,” Abdul-Hamid pointed out, feeling over her brow. “He does well to tend to you. And to Barsad…he deserves it.”

“Did…did Bane tell you guys about the Collector?”

“The Collector?”

Oh geez. She shifted uncomfortably, sitting up slowly, carefully, leaning against some pillows. Somehow, they knew that Barsad had pain within him, even without them knowing that he had been captured, tortured… “Is he a broken man? Before I met him, before…what did you see in Barsad?”

“He was broken, yes.” Abdul-Hamid settled his hand over his chest, closing his eyes. “He was a soldier, down to his soul. Nothing mattered beyond serving the League, eating only to sustain himself, taking no joy in anything. He was a shell after he lost his family, I know. Now you are telling me more has happened to him?”

“He’s better now,” she waved it off, smiling faintly. “He proposed to me.”

“Ilahah!” Kojo sat up in a hurry, grinning widely. “How wonderful!”

“I know! I just hope whatever I’m sick with doesn’t…put any kind of pause on those plans…”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. Your symptoms should lessen if we give you peppermint tea, perhaps some gingersnaps as well.” Abdul-Hamid frowned, glancing aside. “Perhaps we could get our hands on some proper medication.”

“So you know what it is? What’s wrong with me?”

Abdul-Hamid blinked slowly, fighting a smile for a moment. “You do not know? Our great healer, our ilahah, cannot diagnose what ails her? I must admit, it is an illness that you have probably never seen before, but come now, you are wise beyond your years. Surely you-”

“Enough of your damn dirty lies,” she cut him off, waving down such horrible words of flattery. “Seriously, what’s wrong with me?”

“Oh ilahah,” Abdul-Hamid laughed, “you’re pregnant!”

It was like getting punched in the gut, which really would be a bad thing at that moment if she really was carrying children. But oh, she couldn’t fight the grin that eventually found its way to her lips. Pregnant! All the dizziness and the peeing and the…it was all because she was pregnant! But… “I never had any of these symptoms the first time I was pregnant! How…”

“Yes, I thought of that.” Abdul-Hamid shrugged faintly. “You suffered much stress in that time, as well as a restricted diet. I imagine the fetus you carried before was malformed, unhealthy, and never had any hopes of reaching any sort of healthy shape. But now, you are healthy, happy, and strong.” Reaching down, he settled his hand over her belly. “And I suspect the life you carry will be much in the same way.”

“Does Bane know? Does Barsad know? Have they…”

“Do you think we could keep them out of the room if you were pregnant? No no, ilahah, I thought it best if you know first, so that you can tell them on your own.”

“Oh my god,” she gasped, reaching down to rub her hands over her belly. Having children honestly terrified her, but…but carrying life for Bane, for Barsad, giving them a child… She could do that. She could give them children. She would be happy to. “I have to tell them. Help me up.”

“Are you sure? We can have them brought in here if you-”

“Nope. Lemme up. I wanna walk. I wanna be standing to tell them.” Throwing off the blankets, she searched around for something to wear. Barsad had been a father and had lost that, and Bane was…well, she didn’t know if Bane ever wanted to be a father, but she could make him one. She could give him a small child to care for and adore and… She accepted the robe that Kojo found for her, standing carefully to tie it on. Everything was steady, and her nausea didn’t flare up, so she figured it would be okay to go.

“We will start working on preparing for your pregnancy. I can’t imagine Bane will want to stay here to raise your child, so we should be ready to go.”

It didn’t matter. She wasn’t entirely listening anymore anyways. She had to get to the two of them, had to talk to them and had to let them know…She headed for the door, letting the two of her League fuss behind her, not caring even a little. All she cared about was that when she stepped through that door to the kitchen area, she saw Barsad and Bane hunched over the kitchen table, speaking quietly. They looked near devastated, so worried, so…

“Hey.”

Their heads snapped up as they sprang to their feet, their chairs tipping and skidding across the floor. It was good to see they cared so much, but it was such a relief to know that they had been worrying.

“How are you feeling, habibi? No longer dizzy?” Bane moved to her side in only a few, great strides, reaching out to touch her cheek, feel along her side, as if he could stroke away whatever illness he thought plagued her. “I knew I was right to call for-”

“Don’t smother her, brother,” Barsad tsked, tugging at Bane’s shoulder. “She’s standing; that’s all that matters right now.”

“Actually…” It was so hard not to grin, looking between the two of them. “Abdul-Hamid would be a good assistant to my healing…he discovered what’s wrong with me.”

They looked at her so expectantly, both sets of blue eyes wide open and curious, concerned, hopeful that she was not beyond saving if whatever she had was truly awful…such sweet men she had earned, and she certainly didn’t deserve them. She had to take a moment to reach up, to touch their faces in turn, just a brush against their cheeks as she admired what she had somehow won in her life.

“Well I…I’m pregnant,” she laughed, grinning so wide her cheeks hurt.

Both of them froze, staring at her with such an intensity that it felt seared into her skin.

“Oh gods,” Barsad gasped first, surging forward as he threw his arms around her, hand pressed against the back of her head. “You’re pregnant!”

“That is what I said!” She insisted, her voice a muffled mumble against his shoulder, managing to laugh. “Don’t crush me too much; that can’t be good for the baby.”

Despite what she said, another set of much stronger arms slid around the both of them, squeezing hard, encasing them both, protecting them. “My bevy,” Bane rasped, voice thicker than normal. “My bevy grows.”

“Oh no,” she whined, trying to reach around to pat him. “Don’t cry!”

“That is easier said than done, habibi,” he continued to rasp, squeezing a little harder. “I will have a family of my own, finally, one I will protect with all that I am. They will never know fear or want for anything…nor will you and Barsad, I swear it.”

Now she was fighting tears of her own, just clinging to the two of them as tightly as she could. For years, she had been left with such an emptiness, such a lack of everything that people were supposed to have…and now, she could finally have it for herself. She had loving men who wanted what was best for her, and now she was going to have a chance to have a real family. While the idea of having children had been something different, something that she had never seriously considered, it was there now, and she was going to have kids. And she was going to be a far better parent than what she had. She was going to prove that she could be truly wonderful.

With those two to help her, she could do it.


	22. Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the news that they really will be a family, Barsad takes it upon himself to really bind them all together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I'm like...how OOC is this? And then I remember that WHO CARES ITS CUTE. Also I'm sorry for the wait...Overwatch has consumed me.

“She will be far more comfortable there.”

“But there is no hospital, no assurances if anything goes wrong. No epidural.”

“Oh. Right.” Bane rumbled softly, looking back down at the rope he wove so carefully. “So we stay.”

“We are vulnerable here as well. What of Abaddon? That…Marcus? Is Gotham truly the best place for us?”

“Do you believe he is a threat to us? To her?”

“We cannot trust anyone, really.”

Sep glanced up from the magazine she was flipping through, smiling faintly. Bane weaving, Barsad cleaning his rifle, doing what they could do to think as they discussed their future plans. They were good with their hands, it was what kept them going, their thoughts, their planning.

It made sense, trying to figure out where to have the baby. They still had enemies, still had the dangers of it all hanging over them. While Sep thought her family wouldn’t do much about it, her parents, her mother still posed a threat. She could try and buy out her marriage to some rich family. Bane and Barsad were still mercenaries, still the League. Wayne still had access to being Batman…there were still problems. There was still too much to handle.

They could hide at the League while she had their child, but there was too much that could go wrong. She was the best healer they had, and if something went wrong, she couldn’t treat herself. Abdul-Hamid was smart, but she would still need to train him in her skills with herbs…

But staying in the city…it made her feel itchy, being in Gotham. The whole city felt like a plague. Do they move to a new city? Or do they tough it out in the darkest place they had all known?

“If we stay, you will be the front face of this. You will go with her to the hospital, to the doctor, to anything we need to ensure she is healthy. Can you do this?”

“It is an honor to be allowed to do this.” Barsad set his rifle down, bowing his head. “I am her mawla. I will guide her in everything.”

“I know you will. We know you will.” Bane yanked the last knot tight, sighing heavily. “I wish things could be different for us all. If things were easier, this would be…”

She smiled wryly, brushing the magazine shut. They all worried so much. She knew she should do a little more worrying herself, but…she had faith that whatever, they did, it would all turn out okay. They’d survived that long, after the attempted destruction of a whole city, after healing, after being tortured, after healing again…they could handle having a baby, right?

“Where is the small one? Perhaps John could persuade the Commissioner to allow us into a hospital again.”

“I believe he is up in the kitchen? He tends to scrounge for leftovers.” Barsad ran his fingers through his hair, breathing out slowly. “I can ask him.”

“No, it is best if she does. He likes her.”

“According to you two,” she sighed, slipping out of her seat so she could wander over to Bane, “everyone likes me.”

“If they do not care for you, habibi, then they are blind to a goddess among them.” Such smooth poetry, so easily told…it only made her love him more. And there was such honesty in his eyes, he meant every word. “I suppose a part of this rides on whatever makes you most comfortable. Where would you like to have children?”

“I could wax as poetic as you and say all that I need is you, but thankfully, I have a bit more reason in me.” Leaning down, she pressed a solid kiss against his mask. “Gotham, just so long as we manage to work out something safe with Gordon. I would really like a professional watching over me as I pop out your kid.”

“Then it is settled. Blake will work something out for us.” Such finality in his tone, as if there was no room for anything else in that world. She knew it was because she was there, because she said it was so that he was so certain that he would make it come true.

Sap.

She kissed his mask again before pulling away. “I do so hope that our child gets your sensitivity.”

He grumbled at that, ducking his head so he could focus his attention back on the rope that didn’t really need it.

Barsad had to chuckle, moving from his seat to slide in beside Bane, patting his knee. “We do recall that you were Gotham’s reckoning, my brother, but let us not forget that you are so much more than a single action. You are far greater than just a single action. Which brings me to a new point.” He glanced aside, clearing his throat. “I took the initiative, and I finally retrieved the rings, for our marriage.”

While Sep lit up, Bane looked positively ecstatic. “At last! And here I was starting to think that you feared commitment.”

“Very funny.” Barsad huffed, digging through his pocket. “I just had to make sure to get the right rings. They have to be as perfect as our collars, after all.”

She allowed Bane to pull her into his lap, settling down as Barsad fumbled a bit. In all her life, she’d never really imagined that anyone would want to put a ring on her finger, or that she would be so damn happy about it. Even if the way it happened was a little unorthodox, she was glad it happened.

“I thought it best to have our rings match our collars. Never want to mix metals, after all. So I had these made.”

Barsad offered up two ring boxes, handing one over to her. When she cracked it open, she was greeted by the sight of a silvery ram’s head with curling golden horns. She’d never liked the traditional wedding ring anyways, never liked the gold and diamonds and bigger stones and just…

“It’s perfect,” she sighed, smiling up at Barsad. “I love it.”

“Good.” Barsad reached out, taking the ring box back so he could pluck the ring from it. When she offered up her hand, he slid the ring onto her finger with a smooth motion, the ring fitting perfectly. “You did not own your own riches and jewels back when you were a Verhouse…I did not think that you would want them now.”

“You know me so well,” she cooed right back at him, leaning over to give him a rather loud kiss.

“He is truly well suited for you, habibi,” Bane praised, stroking a hand down her mawla’s back. “Come now, let us see the ring you have chosen for yourself.”

She spotted it first. That slight quirk to Barsad’s lips, his eyes getting a faint spark to it…there was something going on. As to what it was, though, she was unsure.

“Ah yes,” Barsad said, seeming to think hard. “Oh right, I seem to have misplaced my own ring.”

Bane frowned, brow furrowing as he glanced down at the other ring box in his hand. “Then…what trick are you playing, brother?”

“No tricks. But perhaps it is best that you look and see what I have here.” He flicked open the ring box with his thumb, turning it to face Bane. 

It seemed like Bane was almost afraid to look down, afraid to see what was sitting inside that box. “What is this? What are you…”

“This is no trick, brother.” Barsad reached out, cupping Bane’s jaw firmly, almost seeming to shake him a little. “We are a unit of three. I love you just as I love her, and I thought it best that all of us bear a ring. We can all be joined as one…it is what I want most, brother.”

“I want that too,” she said softly, surprised that when Bane met her gaze, his eyes looked wet. “You two are the best thing that could have ever happened to me. We’re a team. We always will be.”

“My bevy,” Bane choked, eyes closing as he bowed his head. “I am not worthy.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Barsad clucked, patting Bane’s cheek. “Now be a lamb and take the ring I’m offering, or you’re liable to break my heart.”

“Yes yes, of course,” Bane choked out, lifting his head a bit so he could take the ring.

It really was a beautiful piece, a stylized skull with a sort of golden cast over the top half of it, just as gorgeous as her own in how understated it was. And with the implied mask on it, it suited Bane so very well.

When Barsad slid the ring on Bane’s finger, a joy so strong rose up in her heart, making her need to slide out of Bane’s lap. “Come,” she insisted, clasping his hand. “You’ve tended to us for so long…I want to tend to you now.”

“An excellent idea,” Barsad agreed, slipping a third ring from his pocket, and placing it on his own hand. Lying sneak, but she knew that from the very beginning. “Come along, brother. It is about time that we get revenge for all that you’ve made us suffer through.”

“Shut up, Barsad,” Sep sighed, lifting a brow when he flashed her a grin. With one more heave, she managed to get Bane to rise from his seat, to trail after her. He seemed to still be a little stunned about the turn of events, but that just made it all better. To be able to surprise Bane in that was was…well, she felt it was a fairly appropriate gift for how well he had treated them for so very long. Once she got him into the bedroom, she turned, pressing him back until he first sat, then stretched out on the bed. “This time, I want you to be able to lay back and enjoy everything we have to give, okay?”

“This is not necessary.” His voice sounded almost broken, uncertain. “I do not need any kind of repayment for what I enjoy-”

“This isn’t a repayment, brother. This is as much for us as it is for you. So hush now, and let us do this.” Barsad piped in, slipping onto the bed beside Bane, casting her a wink.

Well, she was glad that she had an ally in this. She crawled onto the bed on the other side of Bane, resting her hand on his belly as she leaned up to kiss his mask again. He was always so giving, so careful to tend to everything that they could ever want…she wanted to make sure he could really sit back and enjoy being doted on, just as they did. He let out a low rumble at her kiss, his brow furrowed in confusion when she shifted back down. The moment she reached for the front of Bae’s pants, Barsad reached for them as well, a wicked grin gracing her mawla’s face. They made short work of his belt, of his zipper, shuffling them down a little.

“You’re more into this than you’d like to believe,” Barsad teased, reaching out to fondle the half chub that Bane was already sporting. “You like your bevy to take care of you?”

“Don’t tease our babaan,” she clucked at him, grinning when Bane and Barsad turned shocked eyes her way. “What? I can study Arabic on my own time too, you know.”

“But do you know what you said?” Bane sounded honestly concerned, reaching down to brush her hair back. “You called me-”

“Daddy, in a sense. I know what I said, babaan.” She touched Barsad’s wrist, getting his hand to drop down to the base of Bane’s cock so she could lean in, pressing soft kisses against the heated skin. “I think it suits you.”

“Better than gawaad, that is certain. I like it. It suits Bane very well…our babaan.” Barsad leaned in on the other side, his kisses on Bane a little messier, bolder. He was undoubtedly more well acquainted with his brother’s body, and the things he could do to it.

It really was a shame that she hadn’t made an effort to know Bane’s body better. She put it up to Bane’s cock being of a…rather large size, but that was no excuse. There were many more things to do with it than just cram it in her mouth or cunt. Just as she was doing in that moment, she could kiss it, lick it, stroke it…she really should have lingered on him more, but he was usually too busy turning her into a drooling mass of absolute bliss. He was quite good at that, really.

Bane’s groan was a low rumble, his hands brushing slowly over her and Barsad’s hair, encouraging, his eyes locked on their mouths, on what they were doing to him. It took her a moment, but she was quite sure that Bane was getting more pleasure out of watching the two of them than the actual sensations they were causing.

“I forgot how delicious babaan’s cock is,” Barsad purred, grinning wickedly when Bane’s breath hitched. “Oh? Do you like filthy talk as well?”

“I must admit, that new name is…quite nice,” he rasped out, reaching down further to curl a finger in Barsad’s collar. “Say it again.”

“Babaan.”

“Now you, habibi. Say it again.”

“Babaan,” she said happily, tipping her chin up so he could pull her collar too. “Now are you going to let us please you?”

“Of course, habibi. My mistake.” He released her collar, taking a moment to brush his thumb over her lips.

She let out a soft, curious sound when Barsad laced his fingers in her hair, pulling her closer to Bane’s twitching cock. Barsad was always one to push them a little further than what they were ready for…and this time was no different. He braced Bane’s cock with her other hand, pulling her ever closer. All she had to do was part her lips, and her mawla slipped Bane’s cock into her mouth, keeping them steady as he guided her into bobbing. All she had to do was keep her teeth out of the way as she was used, almost like a toy, to please Bane.

Made her jaw ache a bit, though. Time and time again, she could marvel at the sheer size of all of Bane. She knew that there was the belief that larger men had smaller cock, or that the size of them made a rather average cock look even smaller in comparison, but not with Bane. Everything about him was thick, strong, proportionate to the sheer presence that he had. She didn’t want to think she hit the jackpot, that she was superficial or even some kind of size queen…but she couldn’t really deny just how much she enjoyed all that she had to play with.

“Her mouth is like silk, isn’t it babaan? So smooth and warm, and all for your pleasure this night. And I am here for you as well.” Barsad’s voice was almost like a song as he cooed to Bane, luring the beast, taming him slightly. “Enjoy her in this moment…I will return.”

Return? Where was he going?

She frowned slightly around her mouthful, but she kept it up, slurping softly as she bobbed down on him on her own. She had enough experience to suck a cock on her own, she liked to thing. Sure, it was nicer when she had Barsad there to urge her on, but surely whatever he was getting was a good thing?

“Off, little bird…I need to tend to Bane a bit.”

Back so soon? She drew off slowly, wiping her mouth with her hand as she peered back at her mawla. Her stopping made Bane groan, his eyes flicking to Barsad as well.

Bane was first to respond.

“What do you have there, you jackal?” Bane voice had a hint of a threat to it, with good reason.

“I believe it’s called a strap?” Barsad looked down at the dark series of bands and buckles in one hand, then grinned as he lifted his other hand. “And these? Lube and a dildo, as you’re well aware.”

“How did you get into the crate? It was locked.” She glanced at Bane, fighting a smile when she saw the irritation on her babaan’s face. “If you wanted someone to fuck you, you could have just-”

“No no, baby girl, these aren’t for me. These lovely items are for Bane there.”

What? She paused, blinking in confusion as she put several points together. “Oh. Oh! You want me to… But I asked if I could…”

“To me, I know. But right now, as we tend to our babaan, I think he deserves a little attention.”

Bane heaved a heavy sigh, draping an arm over his face. That was enough of a sign to make her not even consider the idea. It was not an overwhelmingly positive move, and there was no way that it was a good thing.

“Bane?”

“Are you alright?”

“I have experienced attentions on my backside before, my bevy. I cannot say I relished such times.”

“Oh. Oh Bane…” Her throat tightening, she scooted up to pat over his chest, trying to get him to look at her. “You know me and Barsad would never hurt you, right?”

“I know. But there is heavy memory attached to such actions, as I am sure you are well aware. It causes a bit of pain in my chest to remember.”

“We don’t have to, brother. I was certain that our sweet ilahah would be enough to soothe some of the ache within you, replace such awful things with better memories. I will-”

“No…no.” Bane sighed again, drawing his arm away to look at them both. “You are right, my brother. Habibi and her gentle touch should be more than enough to soothe some of this turmoil in me. I will trust in this.” When he focused on her, his expression softened once more, mimicking just how gentle his touch was on her cheek. “How do you want me, habibi?”

“Oh. Um.” That was…a good question. She’d never used a strap on anyone before, much less someone as large as Bane. “On your back? We can prop you up with pillows. Plus I’ll be able to make sure you’re enjoying it,” she pointed out, reaching down to tickle her fingers on his flaccid cock. “But only if you’re sure?”

“I am sure. Come, brother. Show her how to prepare.”

“Of course.” Barsad set his tools of choice aside before nodding to her. “Well, first we need to get this big bear undressed, do we not?”

Bane rumbled out his amusement as he sat up, helping them undress him, laying back against a few pillows while Barsad ran off to fetch more from one of the couches. It gave Bane and her some time alone together, and it really…nagged at her.

“I was sexually assaulted too,” she said softly, picking at her nails. “Besides what the Collector did. I know it wasn’t nearly as bad as what many others go through, or even what you went through, but…”

Bane growled sharply, startling her into looking up. “Do they still live?”

“Probably?” She shrugged slightly, glancing aside. “Well, for sure one of them does…I’m not sure about the other.”

“You were assaulted twice?”

“Bane, that’s not why I brought it up. I was…I don’t know, trying to reassure you that I understood?”

“I know you understand. You understand a great many things, habibi, wizened beyond your years as you are. I have full faith that you are empathetic and will not treat me roughly. It was a great many years ago that those actions were inflicted upon me, but you are much younger, the wounds fresher. I will not have them sitting like an open scab upon your psyche. Tell me who touched you, and I will make them burn for ever having harmed you.”

“Oh…well…” She shrugged, unable to meet the fiery expression in his eyes. “It was a guy named Michael? I was a teenager and he was in his twenties and…and I just wanted someone to want me? And he did, but… He didn’t rape me, but he did pull a knife on me and tell me to suck him off? I threatened to pee in his car though. I don’t know if he’s still around.”

“And the other? The one that you know?”

She sighed, shuffling herself out of her clothes, if only to waste time. She could already figure his response, but there was no backing out of it at that point. “My mother. When I was only…what, ten? I-”

“What?” He fairly roared, making her squeak in surprise. “That foul woman touched you?”

“Yeah…I didn’t realize it until I was older. I kind of…ignored it?” Flapping her hands, she slid up to hug Bane, feeling the tension in his body, the faint shaking of rage. “Look, it’s in the past. And we can deal with murdering people another time. But right now, we’re working on trying something new with you. Can we focus on that for now?”

He grumbled, his body loosening bit by bit until he could drape an arm over her. “For now, habibi, but I promise you that they will not continue to survive in this world after having harmed you.”

Barsad chose that moment to return to the room, taking a moment to just look at her, sprawled across Bane. “Am I missing something?”

“We have new targets, brother. Prey to retrieve this coming day…with extreme prejudice.”

Her mawla’s eyes narrowed, darkening, that same fanatic look she had seen with the threat of fire before the masquerade. “It must wait until tomorrow?”

“I’m afraid our ilahah’s heart is set on…let’s see…fucking me in the ass?”

“I said no such thing,” she pouted, but it did nothing to calm the laughter that rang through the room. “Well okay, I’m interested in giving it a shot. I’ve always wanted to peg someone.”

“And certainly mounting someone as powerful as Bane lends a certain level of interest. Lift your hips, babaan.” Barsad slid onto the bed once more, stuffing the additional pillows under Bane’s hips, lifting them just enough to be a little more acceptable for her size. “Size difference, how very tempting.”

“Shut up.” It was…nice to see Bane posed the way that he was. He had a beautiful body, thick and strong, his belly and his chest so big and round. “Oh babaan,” she said fondly, “you have the nicest boobs.”

“Alright,” Bane snipped, cheeks flushing slightly as Barsad snickered. “Enough of that.”

“Never enough. Come on.” She started to reach for his chest, only for him to swat her hand aside. “Bane!”

“Can we focus on the task at hand?”

“Are we sensitive about our lovely breasts?” Barsad teased, cackling when another swat was aimed this way. “Such a shameless babaan, walking around with such lovely breasts and no bra.”

Bane rumbled grumpily, looking away. How curious. But there were more important things to focus on.

“Help me get the harness on,” she cut in, drawing Barsad’s attention back. “And show me how to prep him.”

The harness was a bit of a challenge, and it was a little bit daunting for her, and maybe for Bane too, when Barsad snapped on some latex gloves.

“And that’s for?”

“The backside, as you well know, is not the cleanest of places,” Barsad pointed out, picking up the lube. “And while we love our babaan, we do not want to have to take a break to go wash our hands in the middle of the fun.” So it is a little more difficult to do with gloves, but…we find ways. Passion, sex, and all things attached are messy activities, and in that messiness, we find our joy.”

“Poetic, as always,” she laughed, pulling on some gloves of her own. “Show me how.”

“I find it is easiest to put some in the palm of one hand and rub your fingers through it to get it slick. If you try to put the lube directly on your fingers, it just slides right off. So, we lube the fingers, and our lovely babaan spreads his legs just like you do.”

“I’m afraid I’m not nearly as flexible as habibi,” Bane pointed out, complying as well as he could.

“I’m just about as flexible as a log, so you’re full of shit yet again.” She poured some of the lube in her palm, watching Barsad to make sure she did it right. “Now?”

“Now we gently massage, to get him ready.” Barsad delicately pressed a lubed finger against Bane’s ass, rubbing slowly. “It is a slow process. Reading the breathing and relaxation of your partner, you slowly progress. Come, let us have you try.”

She followed Barsad’s patient teaching, step by step, often glancing up to read how Bane was responding. He ranged from keeping his eyes closed to watching his bevy between his legs, but despite his steady, meditative breathing, he showed no sign of distress.

It seemed like ages before Barsad said he was well prepared, and it took her even longer still to see that Bane was fully erect and rather slick looking. When she let out a confused sound, Barsad chuckled and lifted the hand that had been cupped and holding the lube.

“I find it is quite helpful to stroke during. Aids in relaxation.”

“How did I not notice you doing that?”

“You were very intent on our babaan’s beautiful butt…I apologize for the alliteration there, but I couldn’t help myself. The point is, he is prepared, he is aroused, and we are far more ready to go now. All we need to do is strap you in.”

“Right.” She glanced down at the rainbow colored dildo on the table beside them, and had to smile. “That’s the one I used to love.”

“And I trust your taste in dildos is well placed. We will be cleaning this properly after, so let us go ahead and not worry about a condom.” Barsad snapped his gloves off, and as she did the same, he plucked up the dildo and clipped it into the harness. “And we lube this very well.” More was poured onto her toy, spread over it until it was dripping onto the bed. “And now for the fun!”

Fun. Right. Swallowing hard, she turned to face Bane, pleased when the crinkling of his eyes showed her his smile. “Hey.”

“Hello, habibi,” he chuckled, offering a hand to her. “Nervous?”

“A little. I don’t want to hurt you.” She took it carefully, smiling back when he squeezed her hand.

“I know you don’t, and that’s the most important thing. Just take your time, and I trust in you.”

Well, trust was the most important thing in that case. Letting out a shaky breath, she kissed his knuckles before releasing his hand, shuffling herself a little bit better. With a careful touch, she guided her dildo until it was pressed against him.

“Remember, baby girl,” Barsad whispered, but still managed to startle her. “This is lovemaking, not a procedure.”

Right. Little hard to kiss him, though. But it was Bane, and Barsad was there and she really had to do this before her belly got too round. Resting her free hand over Bane’s cock, she rolled her hips forward, shivering as she felt the resistance of her dildo slipping inside of him quite smoothly.

“Oh,” was all that came from Bane, a soft, almost meek sound that had her looking up sharply. “That is a different sensation.”

“But do you want me to stop?”

“No, habibi, I am fine.”

“Okay good.” Strange bit of conversation, but she knew that anal was…something you took slow and constantly asked to make sure everyone was having a good time. “It’s all the way in. Need me to rest here for a little?”

Bane let out a slow breath before nodding faintly. “I think I’m good to continue.”

“You think? Or know?”

He outright chuckled, reaching out to press his hand over hers where it rested on his cock. “I trust you, habibi, please continue.”

Better.

It took a little bit of time for her to learn the proper coordination and movements needed to actually fuck Bane like a human being, but soon enough, she was able to move her hips and stroke her palm over his cock at the same time. She was so focused so intent on it that it took her a moment to really listen.

Bane was moaning.

And it was certainly one of the hottest things she had ever heard.

“Babaan? Is it good?” She asked cautiously, still moving, rubbing her palm over the head of his cock.

“Surprisingly, yes,” he whispered, eyes fluttering open once more. “It is different from anything I’ve ever felt before. It’s quite pleasant.”

She had to giggle, squeezing his cock lightly as she thrust in deep, grinning when he inhaled sharply. “Pleasant?”

“Feels good,” he finally admitted. “I find your smaller size creates a lovely angle that feels rather…pleasing.”

“Do you think you could come from it?”

“Maybe not as quickly as your mawla will.”

Eh? She glanced over, grin widening when she noticed Barsad was stroking himself at the sight of the two of them. Good to know they were all enjoying themselves. “We’ll see about that,” she said proudly before resuming her pace, feeling remarkably proud of herself. It wasn’t really something she wanted to do all that often, as she really was quite lazy, but it was good to know that both of her lovers were so into it.

“Habibi,” Bane gasped fairly suddenly, pressing his head back into the pillow. It startled her, but coaxed her into thrusting harder, stroking him with both hands to try and help him along. It was enough, more than enough, for Bane, as he choked, hands tensing against the sheets underneath him as he came.

And it was beautiful. Too many times had Bane been the one to send her over the edge, but now, for once, she was the one to do it for him. It made her heart swell with love to see her babaan come undone so harshly. She milked his cock of every bit of pleasure he could have, just wanting him to-

“Sit on my face,” Bane growled suddenly, hands pawing at his mask.

“Eh? Bane?”

“I need you to sit on my face, habibi. Immediately. Now help me take this awful contraption off my face so you can do so.”

Hard to say no to that.

When Barsad finally had enough focus to actually help her remove both her harness and Bane’s mask, she found herself quite the comfortable seat on her babaan’s face.

Oh yes.

Everything could just go smoothly from there on, and she could be happy.


	23. Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Sep and Barsad try to find ways of making sure this baby comes into the world happy and healthy, something ominous starts to go down back at the cave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly didn't think anyone was still following this, but I received a lovely comment the other day that pushed me into looking back at this. I'm not going to lie to you...some of these characters have changed. I inserted a friend into this story to make them happy, but me and that friend had a falling out, so they have to be...artfully removed from the story. This calls for some edits in what I have already written, but I've gotten a handle on it, I think.  
> Look, it might get a little obscure for a few chapters, but I've still got all the same ideas. I hope it continues to please.

She hated doctors.

Always would, really, but having smartassed Barsad with her was certainly helpful.

“Properly rude, that one was. I suppose we’ll just have to continue on down the list, mm?”

“So nonchalant, my mawla,” she snorted, rummaging through the bag hooked over her wrist. “Do I have the chocolate, or do you?”

“Which chocolate? The marshmallow ones? If so, you have them.” Barsad didn’t glance up from the pad of paper in his hand, scribbling out a name. “So no to Dr. Shah then…did we try Dr. Jones?”

“Such an unassuming name. Is Dr. Jones in the same building as Shah? If so then hell no because I really think we’re going to be banned from that hospital.” Producing the desired chocolate, she plucked at the wrapper, glancing around the small medical center they had found just down the street. Barsad, in a mood after having witnessed the attitude of said Dr. Shah, had properly vandalized the doctor’s car. She didn’t try to stop him, of course. There were only so many times she could be called fat without complaint. She wasn’t even there about her weight, she was there about the damn child growing in her belly.

Barsad huffed, shoving the list in his pocket. “Well, we know what vitamins we need to get at least.”

“At least,” she agreed, shoving a piece of chocolate in her mouth. “We mostly need doctors for ultrasounds and births, right? And we can get those at a planned parenthood, I think. Otherwise, I trust in my herbs too.”

“Then it’s settled. Doctors can go fuck themselves.”

“Agreed. Shall we go home then?”

“Pick up food first? As much as I love Bane’s cooking, I could really go for something simple right now.”

“He’ll throw a fit and you know it. But maybe I can convince him, since I am liable to start having cravings.” Their trip around the city had been an eventful one for the day. Bane had insisted that they start preparing for the baby by visiting a doctor, but not just any doctor. It had to be the very best doctor in Gotham, which was no mean feat. Their search throughout the day had been spattered with random visits to convenience stores, to stock up on snacks.

She hated the doctor, and sometimes, marshmallow-y chocolate helped deal with snooty looks and condescending words of “was the baby a surprise or expected?” No, it was a surprise you dumb cunt. Try and get two terrorists to wear condoms when they’re fucking you. Just try it, I dare you.

Grumbling to herself, she dropped her candy wrappers back in her bag. Why were people so critical about babies? Whether you were having the baby, how you had a baby, whether having a baby would outright kill you, your right to abort a baby…women couldn’t do anything right, it seemed. When men are told the person they were with is having a baby, they get one of two responses; congratulations or sympathy. At least, that was all she had witnessed.

She and Barsad fell silent as they retreated back to their car, so helpfully lent to them by Blake. There was only so much they could do on a motorcycle, and with the coming baby, she really didn’t want to have to cling to a bike with a massive stomach. She knew there was still plenty of unease about staying in Gotham to have the child. It was a dark city, so dark…and as much as she wanted to be among the League, it was too dangerous. She had no idea if there would be any complications and…it was just too much.

Just as they pulled up on one of the tunnels that went to the cave, the car shuddered, jerking suddenly. Sep’s attention snapped over to Barsad, a little startled to see his eyes narrowed, the steely look of the soldier coming over him.

“Barsad?”

“Something is different.”

“Wuh…” She glanced around the tunnel that the crept down, seeing nothing strange. “How can you tell?”

“I can feel it. Stay in the car when we arrive. I will find my brother and we will ensure it is safe.”

Added paranoia, maybe? Barsad had yet to be wrong about the feelings he got, so would this time be any different? Kojo and Abdul-Hamid were there. Surely that meant they had additional protection? She didn’t have any argument against him, she was sure, so she just slid lower in her seat, casting glances at Barsad from time to time.

Once they were through the tunnel and into the inner cave, Barsad threw the car into park but did not turn it off, sliding out of the car slowly. The cave was dark, quiet, just as usual, except…

“Bane should have come greet us by now,” she whispered, more to herself than anything, but Barsad still put a finger to his lips, having caught the faint traces of her voice.

It was worrisome, at the very least. Had something happened? Or was Bane off planning something with Kojo and Abdul-Hamid that he’d wanted to be a surprise?

“I swear, I mean no harm!”

Well. She choked off a startled sound as Barsad dropped into a crouch, tucking in beside the car for cover as a frantic voice rang out, followed by crashing and thuds of something being thrown.

“You break into my home like a thief! You wear armor like a warrior! I will have none of your lies!” Bane, yes, but he sounded furious, his voice a deep roar through the echo of the cave. “Cease your running and face me!”

“If I stop running, you’ll break me! I’ve heard tales of your exploits, oh imperator, and I would never seek to harm you. You and I are of the same blood! I have come to aid you!”

She had to creep up, just a little, needing to see what was going on. Just as she had a clear view, she spotted a dark shape come stumbling out of one of the side tunnels, followed closely by the hulk of Bane. The dark shape kept pausing to face Bane, but would not stop backpedaling, hands up in supplication.

But his begging for mercy meant little as Bane caught up with him, a hand clamping down on the intruder’s clothes and lifting him high.

“State your defense, so that I may judge you for your crimes.”

“I came to warn you! Ilahah is in danger!”

It flickered in her head, a bit of recognition that had her falling out of the car so she could hurry towards the pair. Barsad noticed a moment later, following her, to try and stop her from reaching them. Even as he hooked an arm around her waist, to keep her back, Bane noticed the two of them.

“Your defense is lies, burdened more by the presence of my bevy. You die for trespassing.”

“Bane!” Calling out, she struggled to free herself from Barsad’s grip. “Hear him out!”

It was enough to make Bane pause, his attention flickering to her for just a moment. It gave enough of a gap, enough of an opening for another shadowy shape to melt forward from another tunnel, head down and sprinting at full speed towards Bane. She could only squeak out a warning before the shape slammed into Bane’s side, knocking the two of them over, sending the first man sprawling back.  
Bane and his attacker went rolling, with the other rising up to lash out at Bane, kicking him harshly before pulling a weapon from his belt, shoving a sawed off shotgun against Bane’s mask.

Everything seemed to go still. Breath choked, she stared at the man who hovered over her Bane.

“Don’t you fucking dare hurt him,” the man hissed, shoving his gun harder against Bane.

“Pedicabo! I told you to stay behind!” The first man managed to rise, and now that she was closer, could focus, she recognized the armor and mask of Abaddon. “I assured you that I could handle it.”

“I did not see you handling it very well. Was it before or after he was going to punch a hole in your chest?”

“Yield, Rimor! Now!” Abaddon snapped, his voice a low growl. “I come in peace! Remember why I am here!”

Rimor snarled, yanking his shotgun away, stepping back. “On your honor, I yield.”

Abaddon snorted, moving forward to offer his hand to Bane. “I apologize for all of this. I wished to speak peaceably with Ilahah, but…”

“You will deal with me first.” Bane clamped Abaddon’s hand tight, hauling himself up. “Why is she in danger?”

Abaddon glanced at her, taking a moment before rubbing a hand over his helmet. “Though this city is dark, and far more evil than I could have ever imagined, I still have my connections. And they have come across a bounty. For her, and for the rest of you as well. You’ve all been targeted.”

“By whom, you jackal?” Bane snarled, stepping closer, ignoring Rimor’s twitch for his shotgun.

“It doesn’t say, but I have an idea. She is to be captured alive, and you two are to be killed, but your bodies must remain pristine. An odd request for the uninformed. But I believe both you and I have witnessed someone who prefers impeccable corpses.”

Barsad’s grip on her went almost painfully tight for a moment, and that was when it hit her.

“The Collector,” Bane hissed, “is dead.”

“Just as I can move cities and throngs of people, so did he, it seems. I had thought I had taken in a new lamb, fresh from the fields, but the Collector already had experience in his belt. He had already been acting long before I came to teach him to focus his hunting to sinners and criminals. And in this time, he trained weak people into near worship of him. The loss of their Collector has broken them further. They seek the blood of those who killed their god.”

“That makes no sense, whatsoever. I did not kill this man, nor did my brother. She did, and yet they want her alive? Is it for some torture?”

Abaddon faltered slightly, looking to Rimor for a moment. “The reward money offered for all of you is no small sum. More than the deranged masses of the Collector could ever afford. Only someone with many years of collecting wealth could ever put up the reward that they did. And I believe your Ilahah came from a wealthier background before becoming a part of your clan.”

Oh shit. “My mother is in on this?” She sputtered, wriggling out of Barsad’s grip so she could storm forward. “Are you sure?”

“I have no proof at the moment, sadly, but it is my suspicion, yes.” Abaddon crossed his arms, shaking his head. “The bounties went up at the same time too. Part of me wonders if the followers of the Collector and your mother are somehow in an alliance with one another.”

“Why warn us? Why not collect the bounties for yourself?”

“Ah.” Abaddon cleared his throat awkwardly. “We have our reasons. Just know that I am on your side here. And if you will accept it, I would like to offer my people to help protect you.”

“Generous of you. Warning us is one thing, murderer, but offering your services? You test my patience. Explain yourself.” Bane was not so subtly putting himself in between Rimor and her, she noticed, right about when she noticed that the hooded, masked brute seemed to be staring at her. It was impossible to tell with his featureless mask on, but she had the feeling.

“Your clan is across the world right now, and you have no soldiers. It is just you, and you rise up and become so suspicious of offered help? I have never harmed you or your kin, and I see no reason to do it now. Let me help you!”

“Abbs,” Rimor said softly, startling the skull-faced man into looking over. Rimor nodded slightly towards her after a moment. “Ella está embarazada.”

Just as Abaddon inhaled sharply, Bane stepped back, towards her, shielding her with his body. “And what of it?”

“This changes things. Can you really afford not to accept my aid? You have a child to think of!”

She was definitely not showing yet, so what the hell tipped him off? She found herself clinging to Bane’s back, hands curling in his shirt as she felt the weight of the conversation weighing over the area. Yet again, she was in a time and a place that she never imagined she would ever be in, dealing with people she didn’t think could ever be real. 

She’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit it was a little awesome.

Tortured by psychopaths wasn’t really on her list of things to do, but at least she was living life.

“You will not be alone with her. Ever. I allowed a thread of trust outside of our home, but you have trespassed. Are we clear?”

“Very clear, imperator,” Abaddon sighed, bowing his head slightly. “Am I to assume that you would prefer to remain here, in this cave?”

“You assume correctly. Before you, I was convinced this was a well hidden place. Which leads me to the question as to how you discovered it.”

“I have a way with discovering every nook and cranny of a city,” Rimor sighed, waving his hand vaguely. “So we’re setting up in a cave. Peachy. Who should we call in for this one, Abbs?”

“Just the elite. The rest have their work, and I’m sure just the seven of us can help plenty.”

“You will outnumber us then. Why do you need all seven?” Bane still rumbled, still growled like an angry beast. “Surely the Collector’s followers do not number that many.”

“You underestimate the fanaticism of the followers of a serial killer such as him. We seven will serve you well. Besides, unlike you, I do not excel at all things. I need my elite to aid in the tactics that I fail at. I assure you, you and your kin will be safe among us.”

“Assure all you like, I still do not savor the idea of so many strange people coming into the home I have made for my bevy.” Bane turned to face her and Barsad, tapping a knuckle under their chins, one after the other. “Go and settle the car, my bevy, and find a comfy nest to settle into. I will join you shortly, after I have dealt appropriately with this issue.”

“You really think we need to be so nervous?” She asked softly, glancing aside at the strange pair. “Do you think they’ll hurt us?”

“It does not matter what any of us thinks, habibi. All I know is that I cannot risk it, cannot risk you or the child you are carrying. It is better this way.”

Well, Bane was usually right, after all. It was just a little hard to believe that Abaddon would want to hurt them, since they had met a few times before. He had plenty of opportunity on several occasions, so why would he suddenly decide now? It didn’t make sense, at least to her, but once Bane had his heart set on something, that was that.

Shrugging it off, she wandered and found a good place to nestle down, with a clear view of the rest of the cave. She wanted to see this elite team of Abaddon’s, and no matter how Bane fussed, she was going to.

Abaddon seemed undeterred by Bane hovering and glaring at him, pulling out a phone to make a call. Tapping a few keys on what appeared to be a Blackberry phone, he tucked it back in his belt after a moment, turning away to speak quietly into some headset he must have had built into his helmet.

Rimor, however, seemed curious about the cave, wandering around a little, seeming oblivious to the warning rumbles from Bane. What strange men.

“Would you like to fuck them, baby girl?”

Inhaling sharply, she glanced over at Barsad, just as he wandered up and joined her on the couch. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious. They seem to be quite strong, which is your type.”

“Rimor shoved a shotgun in Bane’s face.”

Barsad shrugged. “Bane has broken many of my bones, and yet I still eagerly crawl into bed with him. Rimor was just protecting his leader. I do not think that he had any specific sort of desire to harm Bane. It was just a necessity.” Nosing slightly at her shoulder, he still continued to watch the strange pair near Bane. “It could be interesting to see if they would bed you.”

“Barsad, no.”

“Come now, why such reservations?”

“I dunno. I mean, Abaddon was teaching people how to be serial killers. I’m supposed to be okay with that?”

“Bane has broken men over his knee. I have stabbed a man to death with a pen knife. And you, my dear, have hacked a man to pieces with a hatchet and poisoned many others. We have all killed.”

“You’re kind of deliberately avoiding my point.”

“I am good at that,” Barsad smirked, slumping back.

Jerk. Frowning, she continued to watch. It took some time before there was any sort of development, with the time in between passed by Bane glaring at Abaddon and Rimor. Uneventful, for sure, but eventually, the rumble of a car started to echo down one of the tunnels.

“You told them how to get in?”

“Well no shit,” Abaddon snapped. “You agreed, and they needed to come. How else were they supposed to get in? I blindfold them and guide them through a maze? I am not here to harm you.”

“That remains to be seen.”

While Abaddon and Bane still glared at one another, a large, blacked out SUV came rolling in from one of the tunnels. It was looming, and fairly ominous in the cave. The engine cut off, and it sat there for a moment, as if waiting for the right moment before all four doors popped open at the same time.

“I passed the exit three times and had to do u-turns in the middle of the street every time. I’m surprised no one tried to hit us.” The driver slid out, a rather lovely, dark-skinned woman whose very presence seemed to make Abaddon slump a little in relief. “Only to find a cave. I don’t like caves.”

As more doors popped open, the more Bane started to tense, watching more and more people slide out. It was the amount that Abaddon had promised, but it was enough. He started to rumble, hands clenching into fists.

“Unacceptable. There are too many. This is not necessary, and I do not know you. You must leave. All of you.”

“Don’t starat getting cold feet now,” Abaddon hissed, tossing his hands up. “This is a good thing. We are here to help.”

“And why? Why would you help? What could you possibly have to gain from helping us survive?”

“Nothing! I don’t want anything from you! I just want to help!”

The tension only mounted as Bane loomed over the smaller man.

That was enough. “Bane,” she called out, flinching a little when all eyes snapped over to her. “Please, come here. I want to hold you.”

Her old bear sighed heavily, slumping a little as he turned and approached her, kneeling down to submit to her kisses to his mask. “Thank you, habibi,” he whispered, seeming to relax, bit by bit. “There are too many people in a place I thought was safe. I worry for you and the child.”

“Don’t forget, we have Kojo and Abdul-Hamid here, yet they haven’t shown their faces…I think we’re better protected than you think.” Tapping her fingers lightly on his mask, she shrugged. “And besides, we’ve fought Abaddon’s men before. I’m sure these ‘elites’ are no different.”

“What dim surroundings. Who would choose to live in a cave?”

“Necessity, I imagine.” Abaddon sighed, waving vaguely to the people that climbed out of the car. “My elites, at your service. We are Septem Mortiferum, and we travel the world ensuring that the broken and the insane do not harm those that do not deserve it. Gotham, however…seems to be beyond saving.”

Septem Mortiferum? The hell was that? She turned curious eyes to Bane.

“The Deadly Seven, hm?” Bane mused helpfully, settling down more comfortably. “Your driver does not seem very deadly to me.”

“She is Oracle, and she is the one who finds the information needed for us to do our work. She’s deadly enough.” Abaddon seemed to stare at the group that got out of the SUV, sighing heavily. “None of you dressed appropriately.”

“If you are indicating our lack of gear, then you conveyed your message incorrectly.” An older, Asian gentleman sounded weary as he slid out of the passenger seat, and after a moment, Sep noticed that he was wearing pajama bottoms and a sweatshirt. “You did not state we needed to come for war.”

“You’re all embarrassing me. Where’s Hound?”

“In the back in his crate, as always. We couldn’t find his muzzle in time so he’s just…in the crate.” Oracle shrugged, shuffling up to Rimor for a hug.

What an odd group. All of them looked remarkably different, with varying degrees of intimidation. Curious. Very curious.

“We will set up here, and work on learning of who is out for you. Are we in agreement?”

“We are,” Bane sighed, rubbing a hand over his head. “Do not make yourselves too comfortable here.”

“Agreed.”

Such an interesting group. Hopefully they could help defend them while she grew a child.


	24. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sep takes the time to meet everyone in the new group, much to the displeasure of her babaan and her mawla. However, she knows that she has to be brave in order for them to progress as a family. She must be brave and she must trust them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I just got back from ECCC and BOY did I meet a nice Bane cosplayer there. There were a few, but the one I got a picture with was so sweet and had the voice and I swooned a little, but I was pretty calm about it. I think. My face was super red, though. EITHER WAY. MORE BANE.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

“If you want to keep those fingers, I wouldn’t do that.”

Flinching back, she tucked her hands under her arms as she stared into the crate. She was familiar enough with dog crates, but she’d never looked at someone while they were in one. The man inside was more animal than human, staring at her with blank eyes, drooling past filed teeth so sharp that his lips were dotted with blood. Such a strange creature, treated like a pet and yet a full member of their strange group. How peculiar.

“He hasn’t eaten in a while, so he’s a little nibbly lately. So, maybe don’t do that.” Abaddon stepped up behind her, his presence feeling like a cold weight over her back. “He can take a finger off in just one bite sometimes.”

“Why? Why is he so bity?” She stood up slowly, keeping her eyes on the creature. He was nothing she had ever seen before, never even heard of.

“Because he does. It’s how he eats. He bites chunks off. I don’t know.”

Sep let out a curious sound, looking over her shoulder at Abaddon, only to flinch back. Instead of the armor, instead of a skull mask, she was greeted by the sight of a rather normal looking man. Dressed down in jeans and a thermal shirt, Abaddon was nothing like he had been. He just…looked like anyone on the street if not for the absolutely ridiculous amount of scars slashed over his face. Thin white lines, thick raised ridges, so many scars over his skin made him into someone unique. Besides all the marks, he just had dark hair and brown eyes, plain and normal. Nothing more, nothing less.

He stared back for just a moment, then dropped his gaze to the ground. “What?” He finally asked, shrugging slightly.

“I’ve never seen your face before. Not really what I expected.” She shrugged as well, turning away. “So how do you recruit a guy like this into your group?”

“You don’t. You save his life, and then he ends up bonded to you for the rest of it. Fortunate for me, I suppose.” He moved closer to the crate, resting his hand on the top of it, only to have the beast inside arch up and start frantically licking his palm through the bars. “I suppose the same situation could be used to describe you and yours.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. They saved your life, and now you owe them yours.”

“But I’ve saved their lives too. I healed them when they were near death, and I hacked one of your damn students to death.” She glanced back at him, lifting a brow at the guilty frown he now sported. “So I say we’ve repaid each other.”

“I suppose so.” Marcus shrugged, glancing up at her for just a flickering second. “The relationship you share is…it’s nice. I think. You all seem to care for each other.”

“We do.” She nodded a little, glancing back when she heard footsteps, a smile coming to her lips. “Barsad.”

“I believe you were told not to be alone with her.” Her mawla’s voice was a low lilt, the hint of a threat lingering in every word. “And yet, here you are.”

“We’re not alone now. So.” Marcus shrugged yet again, drawing his hand away from Hound. “So you’re the sniper of the group, yes?”

“I suppose you could label me that. I am her mawla, and I do all that is necessary to defend her and him. Mostly her. My brother can handle himself most times, except when he is distracted by brutes with shotguns.” Barsad strode up, his walk weighed down by a sort of lunge, like he was a predator. It was intimidating, even for her. “I do not appreciate what your man did to my brother.”

“My apologies.” Marcus bowed his head slightly, glancing back at Hound. “Rimor is loyal to me, completely. He has thrown his life in the wayside to protect me many times. I owe him much. He was only doing what he thought was right.” A wry smile tugged at his lips. “He didn’t want me to come here, to meet you. He said that it wasn’t our business, that you were not a part of my domus.” The smile dropped away, only to be replaced by a sad weight. “My domus is small. You must understand, we are bonded beyond blood. Rimor meant no harm.”

“It certainly looked like he did.” Barsad draped his arm around her shoulders, drawing her back against his side. “Can we expect any more violence in the future?”

“No. We are allies. Provided they are treated with respect, nothing else will happen. On my honor, I swear it.”

Weird people. That oath had been said before, by Rimor. Perhaps they really were better than they seemed. She could understand the fear Bane had for them, could understand the caution, especially when she was carrying their child.

Glancing up at Barsad, she cleared her throat. “So. You have seven people in your…domus, was it?”

“Yes, counting me. I have followers outside of that, but…these other six are the people closest to me. The people I would fight with my all to protect. They are my domus…my home.” Marcus reached up, rubbing the back of his neck. “Perhaps you understand.”

“Understand what?”

“That home is not a place. It is the people you spend your time with. It is people that create a sense of security and belonging.”

What a strange man. The way he spoke, the way he moved, even how he looked at them. His stance was completely different from when he was in his armor. While he had been open and confident, here…here, he was curled in, closed off. He avoided eye contact, had the sleeves of his shirt pulled over his hands. It was like he was afraid, but his voice held no tremor.

“I understand,” she sighed, reaching up to pat her hand over Barsad’s hand. “I really do.”

“I thought you might.” He flashed a smile, his eyes flickering up to meet hers for just a moment, only to drop again. He cleared his throat, shifting from foot to foot. “So, where is your imperator?”

“He is speaking with two of your men. Your others are not being careful. They are wandering around our home like they own the place. I don’t appreciate that.”

“They want to be familiar with where they are. As you have no doubt surmised, we have some mental issues. Some things need to be done a certain way. They need to know the location that they are going to be staying in.” Marcus cleared his throat, turning away so he could crouch down by the crate. “And I’m sure your men are watching them thoroughly.”

Of course he was aware that there were more of them. Sep snorted at that, glancing up at Barsad. When he met her gaze, he quirked a brow, a small smile tugging at his lips. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that look.

“Um.” Couldn’t let it get awkward. “Do you think maybe that you could introduce us to your domus? I’m sure they’re really good people.”

“Some more than others.” Resting his chin on his hand, he turned his head. “This is Hound, as you know. He’s more of a dog than a human at this point, but he retains some cogent thought. He is loyal, and really, he’s more of a last resort. He’s…not for careful combat. Like a grenade in a small room.” With his free hand, he mimicked an explosion, spreading his fingers out wide. “Devastating. He also likes belly rubs and bedtime stories before bed.”

Barsad snorted, but the sound choked off when Marcus lifted a brow. “Oh. Not a joke.”

“Nope.” Marcus stood up, gesturing for them to follow. “Hound is a good man, he’s just…a little broken, as we all are. I found him in a horrible state, far beyond my help. I just…make life comfortable for him. I try.”

More to Hound than it seemed, she supposed. The sadness that crept into his voice spoke volumes enough, and that was all she needed to know.

Barsad tilted his head down as they walked along, brushing his nose against her ear to whisper softly. “Do you like him?”

“Who, Hound?”

Her mawla chuckled softly, the sound a warm rumble up her spine. “Do not play ignorant, baby girl. You know who I mean.”

Marcus? Well, he was certainly interesting, and only becoming more so as she continued to learn more about him. With the armor, he’d almost seemed arrogant, irritating. Now, without it, he was quiet, almost shy, and passionate. He felt for his team very much, and was eager to talk about it.

“I dunno,” she said dumbly. “We’ll see.” Barsad wasn’t making any sense. So paranoid and threatening, only to ask if she was sexually attracted to him? How strange was that? “What game are you playing, Barsad?”

“You are a smart woman. I’m sure you can figure it out.” Pressing a kiss to her cheek, he straightened back up, humming softly as they trailed after Marcus.

God, why did she have to love such confusing men?

Leaving one of the side chambers, Marcus led the way into the kitchen, his body relaxing yet again when he saw Oracle. Such comfort he had in her. How strange.

“Nabii,” he murmured, smiling when she looked over her shoulder at him. “Hi.”

“Hello, Marcus.” She smiled back, turning back to her chopping up some vegetables. “Color?”

“For you? Green. Always green.”

Nabii laughed softly, setting down her knife so she could turn, opening her arms wide. “Then come here.”

Marcus moved forward quickly, tucking himself into her arms almost meekly, ducking his head. Though he was a few inches taller than her, he seemed to shrink down, becoming small, delicate. And Oracle, Nabii, just held him close, rubbing her palm over the back of his head.

“Have you taken your vitamins today?”

“Not yet,” Marcus sighed, straightening so he could frown down at her. “Is it tomorrow already?”

“It’s four in the morning. So yes.” Nabii leaned over a bit, peering past the strange man to lift a brow at Sep and Barsad. “Do you guys have enough room for all of us to sleep over? We all need our sleep.”

“Right. Yeah.” Sep rubbed the back of her neck, glancing uncertainly up at Barsad. “We can work something out, I think. We have a lot more blankets and stuff than we used to have, so we can probably piece some things together.”

“One bed. We just need one big bed. That’s all.” Marcus cut in, snorting when Nabii swatted at his face. “What? I’m not going to sleep alone.” When she swatted again, he grunted, swatting back. “Quit it. It makes it easier for them.”

“Whatever. September, was it?” Nabii strode over to a bag on the kitchen table, starting to rummage through.

“Sep, actually.”

“Sep. You seem to have a handle on that big brute of yours, so I’m going to talk to you first.” Nabii glanced up, pulling various medicinal bottles out, setting them on the table. “Marcus here decided to help you guys. That his choice. I respect that. I don’t agree with it, but I respect it. Marcus here has a soft spot he’ll never admit to. However.” Setting down the last bottle, she pointed at Sep, her eyes narrowing. “The health of my people comes first. I have access to a wealth of information and a shocking amount of resources. If your people cause any harm to my people, then I will drag it all down on your head. I will not stop until I feel that the payment for their suffering is properly dealt.” She kept up the stare, then dropped it, turning back to the bag. “If our bed could be set up in a small, dark room, that would be great.”

Wow. Well.

Sep glanced up at Barsad, shrugging at his lifted brow. She had no doubt that Nabii would find a way to do exactly what she threatened, and yes, perhaps she was at an advantage. The League of Shadows was far away, leaving them pretty defenseless.

Not that she wanted to hurt anyone in the strange group. She was becoming increasingly fonder of them, really.

“Do you want the pill or the gummy today?”

“I can take the pills.”

“Good.” Nabii shook a few pills out of some of the bottles, offering them to Marcus. “Full glass of water.”

“I know.” He took the pills, obediently filling a glass from the sink, taking each pill one by one, drinking the whole glass down. “Ah. Anyways. Nabii is who helps us find our targets in the group. She was the first friend I made.” Marcus’s voice took a note of fondness as he looked at her. “I don’t know why you’ve stuck with me.”

“Because my life is a long line of bad decisions, and you were the one good thing to come wandering in.” She reached out, tapping his lips with her finger. “Go on. Make sure this girl’s brute is putting things together. He can’t hover and growl all the time.”

“Hey. Stop being rude about Bane.” She could understand some caution, but Nabii was still going with it. “Rimor shoved a shotgun in his face. He has every right to be angry.”

“The more he grumbles, the longer it’ll take to solve this problem.” Nabii shrugged, going back to dividing out vitamins from her bag. “And the longer it takes to solve the problem, the longer we’ll be here. Surely he can see the logic in that.”

Even if Nabii was right, Sep couldn’t help it. She didn’t like seeing Bane so worried. Short of kicking all of the strangers out of the cave, maybe she could make him more comfortable by befriending the group. He was just as pushy as Barsad in getting her to be as sexually free as possible. Maybe it would be okay to flirt. If she showed interest, her old bear could calm down and see them as romantic possibilities.

“Barsad, could you maybe go get started on getting their bed put together?” She kept her voice soft, her expression vaguely pouty. “So they can sleep soon. And Marcus, could you maybe introduce me to more of your group?”

“Little bird, what are you doing?” Again, he ducked close, speaking into her ear. “You cannot be alone with them.”

“It’ll be fine. I know how to defend myself.” With Barsad lurking, the tension would remain high. She ahd to have faith in herself, in her stance as ilahah. She was pure and good, and others would see that. And if not, she knew how to fight, even with a baby growing in her belly. “Go. Our babaan needs you more than I do.” Reaching up, she patted his cheek fondly.

“This is the man that trained the Collector. I won’t let you be taken again, Sep, I won’t.” Like wax, a darkness melted through his eyes, making them sharp, intense. “Don’t let yourself be taken. If you hear the command to run, you had better run this time.”

She smiled, drawing him down for a gentle kiss. “You know I won’t.”

Huffing, he pressed his forehead to hers. “Stubborn.”

“I learned it from you two. Go.” She drew back, waving him away.

Only when her mawla left did she turn back to Marcus, smiling brightly at him. He flashed her a smile before glancing away, looking to Nabii, as if she was the one in control of the situation. Nabii was too busy with the vitamins, however, so it was just Marcus. Which was fine. That was all she wanted anyways.

“I can introduce you to the others.” He waved vaguely, turning to shuffle off. 

Curious man. So hunched up, so quiet when without his armor. She had to admit, it made him even cuter to her. Call her weak to pathetic men or something, she was more of a fan of him without his armor, now, as a person. The confident, cocky creature she had met before had nothing on Marcus.

They left the kitchen, wandering down a hall so they could come across Rimor and another member of the team that she had only seen for a moment. Rimor still wore his mask, even when alone with one of his companions. Strange. Either way, the companion he was with was absolutely stunning. They were tall and fit, long dark hair braided over one shoulder and makeup rivaling anything anyone would see in a fashion magazine. Whoever they were, they were dressed like a model and seemed otherworldly, out of place in the mortal realm.

As they neared, Rimor nodded faintly to Marcus, relaxing his stance. “Hey there. Code?”

“Yellow,” Marcus sighed, shrugging.

Rimor hummed, leaning over and pressing a kiss to Marcus’s cheek, through his mask. “What’s up? You need something?”

“I’m introducing Ilahah to our team. She expressed interest in knowing all of us. So. Ilahah, I’d like you to meet Rimor and Vulpes.” Marcus gestured to them in turn, from the large man to the gorgeous person beside him.

“Just Sep is fine.” She waved off the title, glancing uncertainly at Rimor. “Are you and Bane getting along now?”

“We have an agreement. He won’t attack Marcus, and I won’t have to remove one of his limbs. A fair trade, I think.”

“We are here to be friendly, Rimor. Do not threaten her dear love.” Vulpes spoke, their voice lyrical and thick with an Arabic accent.

“Right. Whatever.” Rimor waved that off, crossing his arms over his thick chest. “We’re all friends here.”

“We can be, if we just take a chance.” Vulpes tucked their hair behind their ear, looking to Sep with a smile. “How far along are you?”

“Six or seven weeks? I’m not sure. I have the nausea still, but I’ve tapered it off with teas.” She shrugged, reaching down to touch over her belly. “I’m a little nervous, but that’s okay. It’s normal to be nervous about having a child.”

“Indeed it is. Growing a life within you is no small feat.” Vulpes sighed softly, glancing over to Rimor. “Could you see yourself as a parent someday?”

“I already am,” he scoffed, waving it off. “Now can I imagine actually raising the kids? God no. Too much shit needs to be done.”

Strange people. She glanced to Marcus, who glanced at her before turning away. Might as well plow forward. “So what’s your relationship with Marcus? You guys all share a bed? Are all seven of you together?”

Rimor snorted. “I wouldn’t go anywhere near Hound; he’d probably bite my dick off.”

“He definitely would. He does like to nip off anything bite sized,” Vulpes sighed, smoothly ducking out of the way when Rimor took a swipe at them. “But yes, in a way, we are all together. I know that I personally have been in bed with all of our members, including poor Hound.” Vulpes paused, tapping impeccable nails against their cheek. “And by bed, I mean fucking.”

Sep snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. “Were they all good?”

“Some better than others. Rimor here can be a little quick on the draw, but his heart’s in the right place.”

“Can we not talk about that please?” Rimor tossed his hands up, turning to storm out. “It was one time!”

Vulpes and Sep shared a laugh at his expense. She should have felt bad about it, but he did threaten Bane. He deserved a few jabs until she felt that they were even. It might take a while, though.

“Come along, there are others for you to meet. It seems I saved the best for last.”

“I will go with you,” Vulpes stated, hooking their arm through hers. “If you are speaking of Brutus, I will keep him calm and polite.”

“Brutus?” She glanced over at Marcus, frowning when he hunched up even more. “Will he and I get along?”

“Perhaps, but not in the way that you’ll want. He has a…strong personality.”

“He’s lucky he’s so useful,” Marcus grumbled as they left the side room, heading out to the main area of the cave.

On the center platform, where they usually planned the attacks on the murderers of the city, stood Bane, a massive, tattooed brute of a man, and the older Asian man. Bane was standing tall, like the warlord he was, staring intently at the two before him. The tattooed brute was only an inch or so shorter than her Bane, but he made up for it in pure confidence as he stared Bane right in the eye.

“How are we doing over here?” Marcus sighed as he climbed the stairs, pointedly putting himself in between the brute and Bane.

Bane’s eyes flicked over for just a moment. “You are small without your armor.”

“Yeah, I know. I also have shoes that add about an inch of height. I am a small person.” Marcus waved that off, glancing to the members of his team. “Have we started planning anything yet?”

“I do not move without your order, Marcus.”

“You have made a friend, habibi.” Bane seemed grateful for the chance to turn away from his stare down with the brute, but it did not last. “Where is your mawla?”

“He’s helping get a bedroom made up for them.” Whoops. Left unattended when he swore she shouldn’t be alone with them. But nothing bad had happened, right? Nothing wrong with making friends. Plus, Barsad did want her to get well acquainted with them. She couldn’t do that with a bodyguard all of the time.

Bane stared at her, blinking slowly before he sighed heavily. “We should start planning then.”

Marcus shook his head, meeting her eye. “This is Niveus, my wisest council. And this beast his Brutus. He serves his purpose.”

“You wound me, grand leader. Without me, you would be nothing.”

“Shut the fuck up, sweetheart,” Vulpes chirped, and was obeyed.

Weird group. Really weird.

“So you’ve met us all. Now we can get everything moving, start planning on how to move. As much as we enjoy each other’s company, I have a feeling that this is something not prepared to last long term.” Marcus clasped his hands together, his eyes flicking up to Bane’s chest, but no higher. “We’ll need a day to sleep and rest, but we can get started as soon as we are in full form.”

“Very well. I must care for my bevy as well. We will approach you when we are ready to move forward with the plan. You will not approach us, and you will most certainly not approach her when she is alone.”

Brutus laughed, a thick, dark sound as he stepped closer to her, his chin lifting high. “A lot of talk from your side. I’m interested to see if you can actually back up your claims.”

“In due time, masakh. For now, there are more important issues at hand than you. Come.” Bane turned to her, nodding to Vulpes. “We will be going now.”

A good idea, she supposed, though she mostly wanted to hang around to talk a bit more. Sure, there had to be some dark people within his group, but that was a risk she was willing to take. Keeping their alliance as peaceful as possible surely fell to her, and she took it seriously. Bane, whether he would outright admit it, would follow her lead on how to treat the strange group of seven, and the group used her as an emissary to Bane. She could stand her ground. She could help out.

Pressing against Bane’s side, she let him lead her away, leaving the group behind. The further they got away, the more his grip tightened around her until it seemed as though the entirety of her side was crushed against him.

“That was foolish, habibi,” Bane rumbled softly once they were far enough away. “We do not know them. They could have hurt you at any time, and there would have been no one around to help you. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that someone needed to do something about them. They need to be brought into the group. If we’re going to work together, then we at least have to pretend to like each other. I’ll be the one to do it I guess, since you and Barsad still insist on holding them all at arm’s length.” Shrugging off his arm, she huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Yeah, some of them creep me out, but we have to do something.”

His eyes narrowed, but whatever irritation he felt faded away into calm composure as he leaned closer. “They are killers, Habibi.”

“Yeah? So are we. So am I.”

“No. You are no killer. You-”

“I’ve killed people. I know I have. And I’d have more killed if I could. I’m having your baby, and I know that this world holds enough darkness in it that I wouldn’t mind with a clean slate. I’m not pure, Bane. I’m not. You make me feel like I am, but I’m not. And in order to ensure that this baby ends up in a world that won’t immediately destroy them, we have to do something. We have to team up with them, and we have to do something. They will help us. They will bring us to a place where we will be safe.”

“You cannot know that.”

“Yeah? And you can’t know that they will destroy us.” She tossed her hands up, huffing in irritation. “Thank you, Bane. I appreciate the protection, but sometimes we have to be daring. I choose to be daring. How about you?”

Bane scowled behind his mask, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked away, as if he was seriously considering it. Maybe he was. Her babaan was a serious man who did nothing without consideration. Perhaps he-

“Fine, habibi. I will give them a chance. I will relax more. However, if you are ever to come to harm, I will not hesitate to destroy every single last one of them.”

“I know.” Of course she knew. It was good to have a backup plan.

Wouldn’t need that, though.


	25. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More plans are laid out, but a bit of an issue with counting brings it to a halt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter here, folks. Gotta build up that scene, you know?

“They wouldn’t have the thought to spread out. Insanity clings to itself, collecting in. They will be condensed down into one spot, I assure you. We need only find one of his flock, and they will fall to our persuasion. They will tell us where to go.”

“And what of the mother? She must be taken care of, or she will continue to pursue them until they are broken apart. No, we must find the mother and get her to tell us how she came to speak with them.”

Sep glanced between Marcus and Niveus, doing her best to not look too terribly amused. Like two children bickering, they had been going back and forth for the better part of an hour. She knew that they were killers, murderers of all kinds, but their planning had been going on for ages. There had been some progress, sure, but had it really been enough to make it worth it?

Bane’s rules had changed some, as the time with them continued on. She was allowed to be “alone” with them, but only in the open areas of the cave, where she could be easily viewed whoever was on watch duty. Clever Barsad had found a nook up high, tucked within the stone where a sniper could hide with good view of the entirety of the cave. Either he or Kojo would linger there, taking turns with watching over their guests, while the others went about their business like there was nothing to worry about. Like they hadn’t invited a nest of snakes into their den.

Shaking her head, she looked back down at the careful weaving she struggled with. Bane had taught her some of his skills, but she had no way to match his skill. He wasn’t boastful about it, but the ease in which he wove her a lead for when they played with their deer gear was breathtaking. Her babaan was talented. Her mawla was talented too, the two of them making her pale in comparison to the two of them. Not that they bragged about it. The two of them were humble, bowing their heads meekly at any compliment she paid them. Such good men, too good for her.

Heavy footsteps startled her into glancing up. It took far too much of her willpower to not flinch as the brute lumbered up, his walk a hunter’s sway as he came up onto the platform.

And as he sank onto the couch right next to her.

“There are fourteen of us,” Brutus sighed, draping his arm on the couch behind her. “We can do both. Track down the cult and find the shlyukha’s mother. We can divide.”

Marcus’s eyes snapped over to Brutus, narrowing harshly. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Brutus lifted his hands in surrender. “I’ve done nothing wrong, great leader.”

“Don’t you dare. If he hears you, all that I have worked to make will fall apart. So don’t you dare.”

Brutus shrugged, sliding his arm forward until it actively settled around her shoulders. A chill so cold and so harsh shot up her spine as he dragged her against his side, a friendly, amicable embrace that sank like tar into her gut, thick and sickening. “There is no problem here, right? We are all friends. I would never do anything to harm her, or that sweet child in-”

Marcus growled, all nervousness gone from his unarmored stance as he stormed over. Brutus tensed, his grip tightening ever so slightly, but he apparently didn’t anticipate Marcus rearing up and slamming his boot right into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Properly stunned, Brutus’s grip loosened enough that Marcus reached down, clasping her wrist to haul her up to her feet, manhandling her behind him.

“What in the world,” she gasped, choking off when she found herself pressed against Marcus’s back, held close, held protectively.

“Harm her and you will have more than her Bane to deal with. You cannot have this one.”

Have this one? That didn’t sound good at all.

Brutus huffed, rubbing his chest lightly, like it had been nothing more than a mosquito bite. “Such dramatics. We were only-”

“Enough. You will not go near her. Absolutely not.” He backed up, guiding her with him until they were next to Niveus at the table. “Now sit quietly.”

That in itself was strange, but… “Wait,” she huffed, gripping Marcus’s shirt as she peered around him, scowling at Brutus. “What do you mean, fourteen of us?”

A grin so wicked spread across his lips, that confidence coming back to those piercing blue eyes. “There is the seven, there is us. And then there is you, your two boyfriends, and then there are the four hidden warriors of yours that watch us at all times. They are not so hidden that I did not notice them, you know. I have been in this business for far too long to be a fool.”

Well fuck. She scowled deeper at him, tucking herself behind Marcus once more. Alright, so maybe they didn’t have an advantage. No, wait. four?

Perhaps Blake was there, and they hadn’t noticed. Seemed hard to believe that he could be so stealthy, but then there was that extra. Who could the fourth person be?

Her stomach clenched hard, her baby roiling as it felt her distress. “Marcus,” she gasped, tugging on his shirt. “Marcus, there shouldn’t be fourteen.”

“What? What do you mean?” Extracting her fingers from his clothes, he turned to face her. “Breathe, Sep. What are you talking about?”

Was she breathing? No, not really. There were more gasps than actual breaths, and she almost didn’t understand her own panic. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong and oh god, she couldn’t handle the Collector again. Not with a baby now. Not when she had someone else to worry about, someone who couldn’t fight back. It was wrong, it was all wrong, and they had to know.

“Fourteen,” she wheezed, shaking her head hard enough that Marcus had to cup her cheeks, to still her. “Maybe thirteen. Maybe. There’s seven, yes, then three, then two. Maybe three. But not four. Not four. Can’t be four.”

He stared at her, gaze searching her face until it became dark, something different. “Say it again,” he rumbled, his voice lower.

“Seven plus three plus three makes thirteen. Not fourteen.”

That was when it struck. When the stillness sank over the others as they translated what she said.

There was someone who shouldn’t be there lurking unattended.

“Suit up,” Marcus snapped, whirling away from her. “Get armored and then find that fourteenth!”

“Bane,” she wheezed as she spun around, scrambling for the stairs. He had to know. He had to be told and then Barsad had to be told and Kojo and Abdul-Hamid could search out the nooks and crannies and find out who was there. Oh gods. Not the Collector. Not his people, not the torture again. She was weakened, laden with a child and she couldn’t handle it again.

It was a desperate stumble that brought her to Bane in the kitchen, a phone pressed to his ear as he listened to something there. Her gasp snapped him out of it, his body tensing as he moved to catch her immediately.

“I will call you back, Blake. Something is wrong.”

Oh gods. More sickness filled her as she collapsed in Bane’s arms, nails digging into his skin. Oh gods, oh no.

“Speak to me, habibi. What has happened? Who has hurt you?”

“Where’s Blake,” she choked, looking up at him with wide, desperate eyes. “Where is he?”

Bane frowned, speaking slowly. “He is with the Commissioner at the station, planning a-”

“There’s two! That’s two, oh god, Marcus!” Her scream went shrill as she twisted again, lunging out of the kitchen. “It’s two, not one! Two!”

Crack.

Here feet skidded to a stop as a deafening crack echoed through the cave, so sudden and so sharp and so out of place among the rumble of the water that she couldn’t move. There was a beat of silence, a moment of nothing until there was a different rumble.

And then the explosion.

Hands shoved at her back to start her running again, to where she knew not. All she knew was that she was running, and there was a splash that nearly knocked her off of the path as a massive boulder crashed into the water beside her. Another splash, and more rocks tumbling down all around.

“They’re here!” Brutus crowed, somehow impossibly loud through the explosion. “They’ve found the cave!”

Well no shit. They found it, and now it was literally falling down around them. They had been unattended for long enough that they could bring the cave down on top of them, wiping them out as quickly as possible with the heavy weight of what had protected them before.

She just kept running, arms and legs pumping as she headed straight for the tunnels, straight for the path that would take her out of the cave and to safety.

“Sep!”

Her name was called, not by Bane or Barsad, but by one of the Seven. Such an oath as a hand curled in her shirt, hauling her back, off of her feet until she fell, landing flat on her back on the stone. Unable to stop, the back of her head smacked into the ground.

And then nothing.

Not so hidden, apparently. The cult had found them, had managed to seclude themselves in the cave for long enough to gain the advantage, to plant explosives to bring the entirety of the cave down on top of them. Funny. They had thought they had time, that the Collector’s misguided flock would not be so organized to do such a thing, but they were wrong. They were so goddamn wrong. Instead of taking them whole, they were angered enough to crush them all like bugs that were not suited for the Collection. Squished under rocks by cruel children, smashed away into nothing.

“Oh god, please.”

Words, not her own, not in her head. Words so distant, echoing vaguely in her head.

“Please wake up. Let me have that. Just wake up. Please wake up.”

Oh, might as well.

Sep huffed as she let her head roll to the side, fighting the fogginess in her head.

“Oh thank god. Okay. You’re alive. Thank god.” Thumbs stroked over her cheeks, fingers pressing against the back of her head. “Small victory, right?”

She tried to speak, finding nausea to keep her words at bay. So no words. Instead, she let her eyes peel open until she was faced with death. Or rather, a skull. “Marcus?” She slurred, tasting blood. Ah, she bit her tongue when she fell.

“It’s me, yeah.” He glanced up, flinching back. “You’re alive too, imperator!”

“Just barely.” His voice was so distant, further off, but still alive. Whether or not her ears were ringing or Bane was actually far away, she didn’t know. “Have you found her?”

“Yes, I am with her. She’s alive.” Marcus shifted uncertainly, his hands stilling on her face. “But…”

“The child. Is the child okay?”

“As far as I know. But…” Marcus trailed off, his hands drawing away completely. “I can’t move her.”

Bane went silent, his silence somehow more unbearable than anything else. “How bad is it?”

“I…There are few words, imperator. I am sorry.”

“I see.”

What were they talking about? Why did they sound so serious? And more importantly, how was she still alive when all those boulders had fallen like rain around them? How were the others? She had to see to Bane. She had to show him that she was okay, so they could go find Barsad and the others. Yes, she was fine.

She tried to sit up, slowly, only to have Marcus grab her shoulders and push her back down. “Hey! Help me up. I have to see Bane.”

“You can’t. I’m sorry.”

Why was he apologizing so much? “Help me up.”

“I can’t.” His voice broke then, a crack of weakness. “Sep, I…”

“You’re being ridiculous. Just-”

“Sep!” He tightened his grip, his arms shaking. “Please. Sit still and let me think.”

Think about what? She huffed, hitching her arm under her to sit up a little, to look around and see.

To see the boulders.

To see the boulders that sat around her.

On her legs, on her other arm.

“Oh,” she choked as she took in the sight of it, at the blood pooling around her. “Okay.”

“Sep, please.” He pressed her back down, pressing his palm to her brow. “Let me think.”

What was there to think about? She was trapped. Pinned so easily, and the roof of the cave still creaked, still threatened to fall. There was no room to think. There was only time to act, and if they wouldn’t do anything, then she could.

“The baby is old enough,” she croaked, staring blankly up at the ceiling. “So take the baby, and save the others.”

“No!” Marcus snapped, shifting around to look her in the eye. “No. I will not.”

“There’s no saving me! Okay? That’s it. I’m stuck here. That’s it. So find the others. Find them and get them out of here. And just…take my baby. Bane and Barsad deserve this baby.”

“Shut up.” He lifted his head, looking towards where Bane’s voice had come from. “But I could…”

“Are you skilled in this? Can you promise me?”

“Yes, imperator. In this, I am skilled. I will be as quick as I can, but…”

“Then do it. Tend to her first, then return for me. Save her.”

“Bane! Bane, no!” She wanted to wriggle, but she couldn’t really do much with how perfectly she was held by stone and by hand. “He’s more important! Save him! The roof won’t hold for long. Just go for him.”

Marcus shook his head, leaning back as he fumbled, undoing straps on his armor, shrugging off sheaths. “I will be swift. We won’t lose her.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here!” She had to be the only sane one there. They had to leave, and they had to take the baby with them. That was all that was possible. That was it.

“Lie still, habibi. Marcus will take care of you. Remember that I love you. Remember that you are the most important part of my life.”

There was the panic. That sounded so horribly like a goodbye that her heart rebelled against her breaths, hammering impossibly hard in her chest as she arched, fighting the urge to scream, to struggle, to fight away from the boulders that held her. Damn the panic and damn her fear.

“I’ve got you, Sep. Trust me.”

Hard to trust him when he was sliding a machete from the sheath on his back. Her eyes widened, her throat clicking as she choked down the terrified screams. A machete wouldn’t be good for taking a baby out. What was he doing? What was he going to-

His raised the machete up high, and with a flash, brought it down hard. And again. And again.

Hacking through the flesh and bone of her leg.

Then she felt the pain. The shock wasn’t enough to choke away the agony of having her limbs forcefully removed from her, and all she could do was howl in agony as he mutilated her. She screamed and sobbed while he worked, and still, still she could hear the roar of impotent rage from Bane across the cave.

It was the last thing she heard before she passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry


	26. Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her situation could be worse. Not by much, but yeah, it could be worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the problem gets fixed rly quick but I'm not going to draw it out yo. Sep's got places to go and things to do.

She dreamt.

It had to be a dream, didn’t it? A slow, lazy dream of happy times, of her with Bane and Barsad, being happy and free in the cave. It was their home, their place of peace as they enjoyed each other, loved each other. So much had happened to them in such a small amount of time that it was so important to cling to the small bits, to the barest threads of joy that they were allowed. Everything else was a fight, a constant struggle towards the small gifts that normal people were allowed every single day.

That was what she got for falling in love with terrorists, or whatever. Mercenaries. Men better than her, stronger and smarter and more worldly. She had to wonder that, if she had not ended up with them, how they would be doing. Would they have succeeded in destroying Gotham if she hadn’t been an distraction? Possibly. She was a bit of weakness, a bit of softness, as Talia had said. She was dragging them back, right?

And yet she was trying so hard. She trained, and learned everything that she could. She wanted to be able to keep up with them, wanted to show that she could be useful to them. Not that they minded. She could be a lazy slug, and they would love her all the same. Such good men, loving men that adored her completely. They’d never fought, never argued over silly things. There were discussions, careful consideration, and the only time they raised their voices to one another was when there was danger, when they were trying to defend each other.

What wonderful love. A love that made her tolerate the idea of having a child. Children creeped her out, really. Little parasites, rolling around in her guts, consuming her alive. And what of raising it? What if she was a terrible mother? Possibly. But Bane and Barsad would be such exquisite fathers that it would be okay. She would turn out okay because of them.

If she lived.

The pain she felt was ridiculous. An ache so like growing pains, throbbing and pulsating through her body until she knew she was crying near constantly. There was no stopping the pain. There was nothing else.

When she woke the first time, all she could do was scream. She howled as loud as she could, deaf to the coos of comfort and the cool cloth pressed to her brow. It was nothing but pain, and it was eventually what shut her down again.

The second time she woke, she could see flashing lights. No, passing lights, as from a car driving in the night, the rolling lights from the street passing by. It was strangely soothing for a moment, quieting her pain until she just whimpered. There was a soft voice, whispered words as someone held her in their arms like a child, rocking her. Exhaustion was what took her then, letting her sleep.

The third time allowed her more time of thought, probably kept awake by the speaking nearby.

“No. I don’t care.”

“She will recover after. But for now-”

“No. We are fortunate enough that it survived this long. I will not doom it just because of her pain. That is not our decision to make.”

“They can make another.”

“Come near her again with your ‘medicine’ and my threats will not be so empty again. I will sacrifice you if I need to. They deserve our compassion, not our wrath. Now leave.”

She mumbled then, fighting to open her eyes. Her sound called whoever was there to her side, a cool hand touching her brow.

“Hush, Sep. You’re okay Just sleep. It’ll be okay.”

Sure it would. There was no evidence to back that up, but she would have to take his word for it as sleep took her again.

What a nightmare. If she hadn’t met them, she would probably be long dead. Was it a good thing that she was still alive?

That was up for debate.

“Can you?”

“Definitely. I already have the necessary components. With Nabii’s help, we should be able to have prototypes ready within a week.”

“Good. Good.”

More talking. Geezus.

Sep groaned as she opened her eyes. She had to see what was going on. She couldn’t be passed out all the time. She had to start taking control of what had happened to her. She had to take care of Bane and Barsad. Or see if they were okay. She could feel a warmth beside her, another body, and she had to see who she still had. She had to know if she lost them both.

“Oh, hey there.”

She blinked tiredly, looking over to Marcus, who sat in a chair beside her bed. She forced a smile, trying to lift her right arm to wave.

Oh, right.

His expression faltered as he stood, coming up beside her. “How are you feeling?”

“Bane,” she croaked, lifting her left hand instead. “Where Bane? And Barsad?”

“They are recovering on their own. We don’t want to run the risk of infection.” Marcus sat carefully on the edge of the bed, pulling back blankets to check over her bandages. “You’re healing well.”

“He did excellent work.” Vulpes made their presence known from their position beside the far door, looking like some unholy angel there, so strangely beautiful. “Marcus’s hand is steady. He turned brutality into art.”

Right. Nausea bubbled up again as she scowled at Marcus. “You mutilated me.”

“I did what I had to.” Regret flickered over his face as his eyes dropped. “I had to get you out of there. There was no other way.”

“You could have taken the baby.”

“And then you’d both be dead. The baby is not near old enough to be taken from you, and your League would not have forgiven me, nor would I have forgiven myself.” Marucs’s hand was gentle as he cupped a hand against the bandaged stump of one of her legs. “I left as much as I could.”

She made herself look at it. She made herself acknowledge that she had no more legs, only one arm. It was almost like she could still feel her feet, but they weren’t there. Two inches above her knees, her legs were cut off, and four inches down from her shoulder, her right arm was gone. Nothing. Gone. Removed.

She exhaled slowly, fighting everything in her that wanted to fight. She had to find comfort. She started to turn her head, but had to stop. Wait. Bane and Barsad were in other rooms. Then…who was beside her? Maybe Blake or…

Nope. Instead, she saw the glassy eyes of their Hound.

“What the fuck?” She sputtered, wanting to lean away, but not quite figuring how to move herself. “Why in the fuck is he here?”

“Oh.” Marcus chuckled, leaning over to ruffle his hand through the Hound’s hair. “He’s refused to leave your side. We thought it was because he was…waiting for an easy meal, but he hasn’t so much as sniffed in your direction. I think he knew that you needed company. You’ve stopped screaming in your sleep since he started sleeping beside you.”

“Where’s Bane and Barsad? Where’s Abdul-Hamid? Where’s Kojo? Where am I? Where have you taken us?”

“Hey now, shh. It’s okay.” Marcus held up his hands in surrender, taking a step back. “We couldn’t stay in that cave. Instead, we’ve taken you to one of our hideouts. It’s safe here.”

“Where? Tell me where!”

“Outside of Gotham. We couldn’t stay there. That place is too foul, too dark. It would have poisoned your blood. We had to leave, so you could heal.” He dropped his hands, sinking back into the chair. “As for the rest of your men, they are in other rooms, as I said. You had the worst of it, and we needed to pay special care. They-”

“You lie. Bane would have come looking for me. He wouldn’t have let you hide me away. So try again.”

“No lies. I never said he hadn’t seen you. He knows the benefit of letting you heal in solitude. Sleep is the best healer, and their fussing would have woken you. But there’s good news. I know it’s a lot to lose a part of your body. But have faith in that we are working on a fix. Vulpes is a remarkable inventor. They know technology better than anyone else I have ever met. With Nabii’s research and Vulpes’s clever mind, we will be able to make excellent prosthetics for you. As soon as you feel ready, we can get you used to them.” Marcus waved his hand vaguely, some command that Vulpes took as a sign to leave the room. “You can continue to be the goddess that your people claim you are.”

“Brutus woke me up,” she said flatly, lifting a brow when his expression soured. “It was him, wasn’t it? He wanted to inject me with something, didn’t he?”

He sighed, resting his elbows on his knees as he rubbed his face. “My seven are financed by Brutus. He was a criminal long before I found him. He…has many businesses I do not agree with, but he has his uses. He’s a drug lord, primarily. And he thought he could help ease your pain by getting you addicted on something he deals. I won’t allow it. It would be unfair to you and the baby to be forced into an addiction.”

“He wants to hurt me. In lots of ways.”

“Ah. Brutus is a dark man. He takes pleasure in taking whatever he can from people. He takes money, takes blood, takes sex…he takes and takes, greedy for the profit he can gain. From you, he gains power over your Bane. If he were to dominate you, he would render Bane powerless. He is a horrible, awful man.”

“And yet you keep him around.”

“Desperation breeds tolerance.” His hands dropped so he could meet her eye again. “Well, I shouldn’t keep you sequestered any longer. I will send your lovers in.”

“Right.” She looked down at her limbs, at the bed she was tucked into. “Marcus?”

“Yes, Sep?” As he stood from his seat, he looked tiredly at her.

“Thank you. I’m having a hard time right now, but…I know you’ve done a lot for me. So thank you. It’ll take some time for me, and I know I’ll yell at you later for this. But now, before the panic and depression hits me, thank you.”

He smiled a little, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “Well. You’re welcome, I suppose.” After a moment, he looked away, shaking his head. “I’ll send them in.”

Right. If she hadn’t panicked yet, she definitely would the moment they saw her. Okay. She could handle it. The ache was a throb that had her grounded. She could handle it. She could handle it all. She was tough.

No she wasn’t.

The moment they saw her, the tears started. Great, heaving sobs that made her gut hurt. She was allowed that sadness, wasn’t she? She’d lost parts of her body, for god’s sake. They were gone forever. No one ever thought about losing their arm or their legs, did they? They were all gone, trapped under rocks, her precious cuffs gone forever.

“My sweet habibi,” Bane rasped, stroking her hair as she clung to him, “I am so sorry. I thought we had more time.”

“What happened?” She wailed, fighting through her panic to plead. “Why did it…why did we…”

“They found us. I don’t know how, but they were there long enough to rig the place with explosives. They…they almost succeeded in ending us, habibi, but we live. We all live. That is what matters.”

“I would have died if not for the big one, Rimor. He dragged me into a more stable nook and shielded me as much as he could. I am grateful to him.” Barsad spoke softly, his voice soothing. “What kind of mawla am I? Again I failed you both.”

“Nonsense. You were victim as much as we were.” Bane chuckled, nuzzling at her hair. “Perhaps we will be able to keep up with you now.”

Underneath her sobs, she managed a laugh. That was-

Wait.

Hiccupping through her tears, she wriggled free until she could slump back into the bed, looking Bane over with wide eyes until she saw the bandages.

His left arm, from the elbow down, was gone.

And Barsad. His eyes were wide open, unfocused, distant.

“Bane! Barsad!” Her sobs started anew as she reached dumbly for them, fingers fluttering over the stump of his arm before reaching to Barsad. “Not you too! Oh Bane, I’m so sorry that… Barsad…”

“Don’t be. I am not.” He looked down at his arm, guiding her hand so that she could feel over the remnant of his arm. “I lost so little, and it is no true loss. I can handle myself with only one arm of flesh. But this?” He lifted that arm, looking almost proud as he touched her thigh. “This is nothing compared to your strength, habibi.”

“Strength? You mock me. I’m so weak. I’m…” She choked again, flinching in surprise when Hound nuzzled against her side. “God, sometimes I’m such a weight on this group.”

Barsad barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Weak? There is nothing weak about you! I am in awe of you each and every day. You were not born into this world of violence and war, and yet you’re holding your own! You have seen so much, and yet you continue on like nothing can ever stop you. You are stronger than even me, baby girl.” He faded off, his smile weakening. “I have lost my sight. I know this. It is gone. I will have to relearn how to fight. I know that you will learn faster than me.”

“And despite it all, habibi,” Bane breathed, his eyes lowering to her belly. “Despite the stress, the trauma, the child still grows within you. All of it should have pushed you into another miscarriage, but you’re healthy. The child is healthy. You are so strong. You are truly ilahah.”

The urge to tell the two of them to shut up was immense. She didn’t feel like she was strong. She felt weak, and stupid. She was without legs, without her right arm, without her own talents. She was nothing without the two of them. And now she couldn’t even keep up with them.

“I want to be alone.” She said it before she could even think. “Please.”

“Ah. Of course, habibi, whatever you need.” Bane reached out to touch her shoulder, only to flinch back when she rolled away from him. “Oh. We will go.”

The tears started up again as she heard them leave.

She didn’t blame them. It wasn’t their fault. She knew that. It wasn’t any of their faults, but it hurt. She didn’t want to be told she was strong. She wanted to be told that it was okay to be weak, to be scared, to be so sad. Gods, she was sad. Her legs were gone forever, and nothing she did would ever bring them back. She wanted them to tell her that yes, they were gone, and it was okay to be sad. It was okay to cry and be depressed and just not want to be there. She didn’t want to be home because that was a different kind of hell, but still. She just…wanted to be someplace else. Someplace where she had all of her limbs, had lovers who didn’t get her into so much shit.

Hound let out a strange little hum, bumping his forehead against her chin. Right. He was there.

She choked on a sob, pawing dumbly until she could hook her arm around him, just holding on to the damn weird dog person. He didn’t say anything stupid. He didn’t say anything at all.

She cried herself to sleep eventually. Whatever.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

“There. Now we just leave that in for an hour.” Vulpes snapped their gloves off, sliding off of the bed. “Keep the towel around your shoulders, and it should be fine.”

“Thanks.” She reached up, touching lightly over the saran wrap around her head. “This works?”

“I do it whenever I have time to spare. Keeps my hair luxurious.”

“It sure is pretty, yeah.” She smiled a little, slumping back in the bed. “So how’s it been going out there?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Rimor and Bane seem to have bonded a little. They play chess. Rimor loses almost all of the time, but oh well.” Vulpes shrugged, gesturing vaguely towards the door. “You could come out and play sometime, if you like.”

“Right.” That was an option, sure. But not really. She didn’t want to go out there. She didn’t want to be around them. She didn’t want to go near Bane or Barsad and she certainly didn’t want them to love her. It felt like a weight. She loved them, she loved them so much, but god dammit, could they not love her so much? Could they not be so goddamn supportive?

“You’ll have to come out eventually. But take your time. I know it’s hard.” Vulpes leaned down, pressing a kiss to her brow. “Should I let Hound in?”

“No thanks.”

“Alright. I’ll bring lunch in to you later. Niveus is making gyudon.”

“Thank you.”

Sep watched as they left, taking a moment before sighing, pushing herself up with her one goddamn arm, propping the pillows up behind her. She really needed to find something new to do besides staring at the wall and feeling sorry for herself, but holy shit. No legs.

She slumped back, closing her eyes. Maybe another nap. Her hair was fucked up and needed to sit in the weird oil and honey mixture anyways.

“Oh. Sorry.”

One eye cracked open, a smile touching her lips when she saw Marcus in the doorway. “No, don’t worry. Come on in.”

“Only if you’re sure.” He slid in the room, closing the door behind him. “Any more aches?”

“Dull. Can’t feel my toes anymore.”

“Well, that’s good. May I check your bandages?”

“Sure.” She shrugged, kicking her stumps until the blankets were off of them. God, what a word. It was what she had, though. Just stumps where her legs used to be. “How are you today?”

“I’m fine. Feeling pretty green all around.” He flashed a crooked smile her way as he sat on the edge of the bed, reaching down to peel the tape off of her gauze. “I even let Brutus put his arm around me.”

“Wow. Really green.” She grinned right back, letting her eyes close as he checked her over.

How long had she been there? Staying in bed all the time, only allowing herself to be put in the wheelchair to be taken to the bathroom, to be bathed. Otherwise, she just stayed tucked away, talking to whoever would come in to visit. Except for Bane or Barsad. She’d talked to all of them enough to know them like friends. Except Brutus. He smiled at her weird.

But Marcus was easy to talk to. When not in his armor, when not in his weighted clothes or under his weighted blanket, he was soft and quiet, keeping his eyes downturned as much as possible. He was autistic, apparently, high-functioning Asperger’s or something. Either way, he had a color code that he warned people with on how willing he was to be touched. He had good days and bad days, as did she. Some days she could talk about her complete lack of legs and arm, and some days, she didn’t want to think about it.

“Yeah, it’s been a good day. How about you?” He frowned as he plucked at one of her stitches. “Hm. These can come out.”

“Oh, so-so. Vulpes says my hair needs a deep treatment.”

“Yeah, they get like that. Once, Brutus let his hair grow out too far and was forced to submit to Vulpes’s beauty care whims. Never again.” Marcus shook his head, crumpling up the gauze to toss in the nearby garbage can. “I let them give me a facial sometimes. Doesn’t help the scars.”

“You don’t need help with the scars. They look good on you.”

“Yes, I know how you have a fondness for scars.” He reached up, flicking his finger against her chin. “Now you have more than a few of your own.”

“No kidding.” She kicked one of her stumps his way, catching him in the side with it. He let out a startled huff, his hand slapping down on it to keep it still. “Hey. No pinning me down.”

“What? Is that Bane’s job only?” It was a deliberate prod. He did it on purpose, damn him. “You will have to face him someday, you know.”

“I know! I just…don’t want to.”

“Tell me why, Sep.” His hand remained on her leg, and she found she didn’t entirely mind it. “Talk it out.”

“Because I don’t want his support! I don’t want to be told how strong I am. I’m not strong! I’m sitting here, and I cannot believe the fact that I do not have any goddamn legs anymore. They’re gone forever. My legs. My goddamn legs. Something I thought I’d never lose, but they’re gone. And you know what? When I had to watch Barsad get tortured, I thought that that was as bad as it got. As I watched him get tortured, as I got fucking raped, I thought it couldn’t get any worse. But it did. I…” She choked on a breath, covering her face with her one good hand. Her only hand. “I’m being selfish, and I hate it. They need comfort too. They love me, and they just want me to know that. And I do. I do know that. But I just…I don’t want to comfort them. I don’t want to hear that I’m so strong for not losing the baby. I’m not strong. Can’t they acknowledge that I’m weak?”

“Even goddesses falter.” He tilted his head to the side, looking her over calmly. “Yes, you are weak. You’ve mourned the loss of your legs for over a month.” He leaned closer, that softness of his face hardening into that steely look she was becoming so very familiar with. “But the longer you rest, the longer they get away with taking them from you.”

“So what do you suggest I do? Get up and go hunt them down? If you haven’t noticed, I’m now three months pregnant.”

“Five, at this point. You slept for a long time. And you know what? It’s going to be harder for you to learn how to use your new legs because of how front heavy you are. But you’re going to have to learn eventually. Because you are weak. But you can be made strong.”

“How?” Yup, the tears were burning. “How can I be made strong?”

“By taking in your weakness and making it more. Your enemies will think you are dead. That is their first mistake. And then when you find them, they will doubt you because you are handicapped. That is when they will die.”

“Shut up.” She scrubbed the tears from her eyes, taking deep, shaky breaths. “I don’t need your damn pep talk.”

“It’s not a pep talk. It’s war talk. You want them to stop? You want them to suffer? Then get up and do something about it.”

She scowled at him. “Tough love, I see.”

“Pretty much.” His expression softened. “Besides, I want to get my bed back someday.”

His what?

Oh.

She blinked dumbly, looking down at her bed. The bed. His bed. “Oh. Oh my god. I’m so sorry. I had no idea. Holy shit.”

“It’s alright, really. I mean, it’s not ideal, but I’ve managed.” He shrugged. “My room was best suited for you. I have the softest bed, and with your added weight, you needed something soft. Plus I have the body pillows.”

“Wow. I’m just a huge burden on everyone, aren’t I?”

“Pretty much.” Despite his words, he grinned at her. “So come on. Vulpes finished your legs a week ago. At least let us see how they look on you. I can help put them on.”

“Fine. Let’s try.”

She slumped back in bed when Marcus ducked out to get her new limbs. God. Maybe she needed to get moving more.

Bane and Barsad thought she was strong. Maybe she could show them what strong really was.

“I had them armored. A goddess should be bulletproof, right?” Marcus strode in, hauling two cases with him. “And your atomizers. Those were wonderful. Your dance was graceful, truly distracting as you spread poison. So. I had them added in.” He set the cases on the ground, kneeling down to pop them open and pull forth her arm, the straps tucked neatly against it.

And it was gorgeous. All smooth plates, white and gleaming, it looked delicate and yet so strong, the plates thick and sturdy. Each fingertip ended in a slight point, and somehow, she knew that was an aesthetic statement from Vulpes. The straps that held the arm on were somehow beautiful, wide and armored as well.

“Wow.”

“Wow indeed.” He came over, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You thought that silver spoon brat had good technology. You’ve never seen what Vulpes can do.” His fingers were light as he lined up the base with what remained of her arm, pressing the socket firmly against her skin before dragging the strap across her chest to fasten it. “There. Give the sensors a moment to warm up.”

She stared at the arm as he folded it across her lap. Something wasn’t processing. “Why?”

“Because the sensors in the arm will attach to-”

“No. Why are you helping me?” She looked up, frowning. “Why are you doing all this? What do you get out of it?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged, sliding off of the bed to rummage around with the other case. “There is nothing your people can give that I don’t already have.”

“So why then? Why help?”

He looked up, smirking. “Why not?”

Asshole. She stuck her tongue out at him, only to twitch when the arm made a soft whirring sound. “Um.”

“It’s on. Go ahead. Try to move it. Reach for the blankets, or something.”

Give it a shot. Be careful though. She closed her eyes, breathing out slowly as she leaned forward, remembering what it was like to extend a hand. No real thought process, just do it. Just reach for the blankets. Just-

“Okay maybe with your eyes open. You can’t really feel with it yet.”

Huh? Her eyes snapped open, only to see her nails ripping through the blankets as she gripped a handful of it much too hard.

“Oh geez,” she sputtered, letting go of it. “I’m sorry!”

“That wasn’t one of my nice blankets, but still.” Reaching out, he helped unhook it from her fingers, cupping her hand gently in his own. “In time, the sensors will attach to your existing nerves, supplying electronic pulses to you. You will be able to feel, be able to control the strength you will now have.”

“Oh.” She smiled up at him, feeling more than pleased when he flashed her a smile as well. “Maybe I should try the legs now.”

“Atta girl.” He slid down to get her legs, pulling out the pair of silken white prosthetics, smooth plate just like the arm. Remarkably, she could see a big toe separate from the rest of the simulated toe area, places capable of folding and moving like a real leg, a real foot. High tech.

“Holy shit. What in the world? These are intense.”

“Yeah they are. Vulpes is intense. My people are intense. C’mere, sit on the edge of the bed.”

Right. She shuffled over, marveling at having two arms again. Two arms. Like she was whole again. It was what kept her eyes as he knelt in front of her, positioning the legs just so before sliding the straps up. It was almost like a bunch of garter belt straps, helping brace them and keep them firmly attached.

“Vulpes is an artist,” Marcus sighed in approval as he sat back, looking over her legs. “They even got the proportions right. I don’t know where I’d be without them.” Shaking his head, he slapped his hands down on his knees before he stood, offering them out. “Let’s see how you can do with them.”

“How I can do?”

“Well, yeah. The point of having legs is being able to stand and walk. Come on. Stand.”

“What? I just barely-”

“You’ve been in bed for almost two months now. You will stand. You will stand and you will walk out there. When your people see you, they will know that the strength they thought you had was nothing in comparison to the strength you have now. You had your time of healing. Now stand, and show your child what it means to be a woman that chooses her own destiny. Things have happened to you without your say for far too long. I think it is time to show that you are a goddess. Stand, Ilahah!”

Snarling, she slapped her hands down in his, gripping tight as he yanked, hauling her up onto her feet. There was definitely a wobble, a misstep or two as she stumbled forward. He did not catch her, just stepping back while holding her hands, keeping her from falling but not stopping her wobble.

No more wobbling, dammit. She planted her feet with a snarl, glaring down at the ground as she refused to fall. Not with the baby. Not with the damn ache in her goddamn stumps being pressed up against the layer of silicone inside of the sockets.

“Truly, a goddess stands. Bearing life and taking a step on feet of metal.” Marcus nodded in approval, his hands loosening. “Show me.”

“Show you what? Whoa, hey. Where are you going? Marcus?” She wobbled as he let go of her hands, as he stepped back. “Marcus!”

“Show me that you will take your life in your own hands. Show all of us that we are to be in awe of you.” He backed up to the door, then turned on his heel and stepped out, disappearing into the rest of the apartment.

“Dammit, Marcus!” She snarled as she wobbled back and forth, her arms pinwheeling as she fought to stay standing. She had to be careful. God, what if she fell on her stomach? She didn’t want to lose the child after all that they had already been through. She was going to keep the fucking baby and she was going to not fall on her ass.

Okay well maybe her ass was okay to land on.

Doing her best not to yelp, she stumbled and fell back, whimpering at the sharp jolt of pain up her spine. Dammit. It was absolutely ridiculous. How the hell did he expect her to get up?

By being strong. By showing what she had been was nothing compared to what she could be.

God dammit.

“Fuck falling,” she grumbled as she folded her damn legs, rolling them under her so she was kneeling. “Fuck the Collector and his cult.” With a grunt, she planted one foot on the ground. “Fuck Marcus.” She pushed upwards, hauling herself up onto her feet. “Fuck my legs.” With only a slight shake, she took a step towards the door. “Fuck this baby.” She grabbed the door with her right hand, fingers curling through the handle with a metallic screech. “And fuck all of you!” With that last scream, she yanked the door open, only to rip the door completely off of the hinges and fling it behind her.

Marcus was leaned up against the back of a couch, watching with a satisfied smirk. Damn him. Everyone else was startled, twisting to look at her from where they were seated in a rather large central room.

“Habibi?” Bane stood from the couch, his eyes wide with shock as she lurched forward. Barsad reached out to catch his fingers on Bane’s belt, hauling himself up as well as he turned blind eyes her way.

“I’m sick and tired of this shit,” she spat as she finally made it into the room, scowling at them all. “I’m sick and tired of being victim to things I have no control over. And you know what? I’m not strong. I am broken and scared, wounded and fucking pissed off. What I am is nothing! It is nothing compared to how strong I will be.” She looked down at her metal hand, rolling the fingers before clenching her hand into a fist. “You haven’t seen Ilahah just yet.”

Marcus stood up tall, lifting his fist high as his voice cracked through the room like thunder. “Insania de victoria!”

The others of the group lifted their fists high as well, their voices joined as one as they cried back, “insania de victoria!”

Whatever. All she cared about the pure worship she saw in Bane’s eyes.


	27. Titles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sep isn't really sure of how to feel about everything, but she does know that she wants to be more than she ever was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for being so patient! My spark has come back for this story, so hopefully you can expect more frequent chapters than them being 5 months apart. Ahahaha...whoops.
> 
> BUT. In that time, I got two beautiful commissions done of our fabulous trio! Go look! Give the artists so much love! They're both seriously awesome and deserve your business!  
> http://sepzet.tumblr.com/post/163782950717/leeffi-full-body-full-colour-commission
> 
> NSFW  
> http://sepzet.tumblr.com/post/164473831337/k1nd3r-the-wonderful-sepzet-commissioned-me

“Dancing.”

“Yes.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No.”

“Wow.” Sep sighed, resting her hands on her hips. “Really?”

“Yes.” Marcus sighed as he bent down, folding neatly at the waist to press his palms flat to the ground. “It started as dance before I saw the potential of battle within the movements. It graduated from there.”

“Still. I can’t do that.” She lifted a brow down at him, huffing in shock when the man kicked off the ground, flipping over onto his feet with ease, his body a graceful arc the whole time. Damn. “I’ve got too much baby in the way.”

“You can still learn some movements, some flexibility, especially with those limbs. You have remarkably fewer muscles to train into proper form now. You are at an advantage.”

“Suck a cock,” she grumbled, looking down at her metal feet.

Marcus shook his head, turning away. “It is the best way to teach you how to move, how to fight. It is how I learned. I am the only option you have to learn from.”

Well, that was true. Bane was no leader, never really was. Sure, he presented an option for people to admire and follow, but he didn’t exactly lead. Talia had led. Bane was merely one of her stronger followers. She really would be the first one back to leading the League. If she could lead the League. She should. She should be the one to take the lead.

Maybe. It would prove she was strong, right?

“Brutus could show her a thing or two,” Rimor pointed out, shrugging his thick shoulders as he, with absolute ease, sank down into a perfect split, shifting his torso from side to side to stretch better.

“Yes, but she wants to keep her people alive, as far as I know. There’s a reason I lead and not him.” Marcus waved him off, not even sparing him a glance. “All of leadership is a dance, to use a tired analogy. Besides the fighting and the movement of your body, you will have to keep your grace as you face your people, as you face your enemies. You must be poised, on point, and know what each movement will lead in to. You cannot dance blindly as a leader. You will present an example, and you will be great. So.” Marcus rolled his shoulders as he turned away. “Take it from the top.”

Nabii tapped her phone before tossing it down on the table, her chosen music playing over the speakers. She rolled her neck, rising up on her toes as she twirled into her place on the dance floor.

Sep sank back into her chair, resting her folded hands over her belly as she watched Marcus, Rimor and Nabii go through whatever dance routine they had been working on. She had to admit, it was a form of exercise that she had always wanted to try out, but she’d never had the options to try. Rich families didn’t allow dance classes unless they were ballet, and running away with a terrorist group certainly didn’t present any options for it. To have some strange cult leader dancing with a few of his members was more than strange, but it was a way to keep them in form. She couldn’t fault them for finding something fun to do.

If only she could join them.

A frown touched her lips as she looked down at her belly. God, she was bloated and huge. She had no reference to what pregnancy was like, but gods, it felt like she was bigger than she should be. She had no siblings, no one to compare to, no sisters to watch as they carried a child. She was alone in the experience. Just a heavy bloat of a parasite carrier.

Drumming her fingers over the curve of her belly, she had to groan as the baby shifted and rolled in her stomach. Gross. She could feel it sliding past organs, or she thought it could. Babies were such strange little monsters, feeding on their mothers, roiling and lashing out like they were desperate to come out. She would love the baby when it came out, she knew. It would be Bane’s and Barsad’s child, and that would make her love it.

But god, it was heavy and huge inside of her and she wanted it out.

Groaning, she sank lower in her seat, feeling a little bit of hatred for the dancers in their ability to move around so freely. She wanted to be able to train, but dammit, she couldn’t.

Might as well go eat something.

There was quite a lot of effort involved with getting out of the chair, but it was worth it. Niveus always left such good food in the fridge. She would have plenty to pick from when she finally made it there.

If she made it there.

“Allow me.” It was a low croon, thick like tar and just as welcoming as a hand braced her elbow, hitching her up from her pregnant waddle. “You don’t need to overwork yourself, shlyukha.”

“Brutus,” she huffed, wishing she had enough control over her walk to pull her arm away. Unfortunately, she really did need the help. “What do you want?”

“I want nothing from you, shlyukha.”

“Okay, I know that word isn’t good. Stop calling me that.” When they reached the kitchen, she fairly lunged for the counter, using it to brace herself. “I’m not stupid.”

“Of course not. Forgive me.”

Gods, so condescending. She sniffed in distaste, shifting closer to the fridge. “Do you want something or not?”

“From you? No, dear girl, I want nothing that you will give.” Brutus leaned against the counter near her, crossing his arms over his chest. “I know you are a strong woman, are you not?”

“Not yet. But I will be.” There was still that crawling up her spine, a continuous tick-tick-tick up her spine, over and over. The urge to run was immense, but that would give too much away. He couldn’t know that she was scared of him. No; appear strong and certain. Stand firm and resolute. Do not bow to men. Do not bow to the oppression of a man who thinks they can be more than a woman.

“So certain. Admirable. You came from a wealthy background, did you not? You are so convinced that you can rise up to be like your men. Cute.”

“I don’t need you to question me. You’re not a part of the League. You don’t matter in the long run.” Well that came out harsher than she intended, but it was too late to take it back.

“Rude, shlyukha. You must know manners. Here, allow me to show you how to properly-”

She heard him coming closer before she saw it, and that wouldn’t work. Nope. She whirled around to face him, hating the sudden stirring in her belly, but she had to do something. Brutus was looming closer, that confident smirk on his lips like reeked of abuse and pain. She wouldn’t allow him to do anything. He had to know that she was strong, and would not allow him to do anything.

With a choked snarl, she brought her foot down hard on the top of his foot. She had a bit more weight behind it than before, but the push of metal and hidden servos increased its strength tenfold.

The crack of bone under her foot felt so good, but it wasn’t as good as when she reared back and smashed her metal fist across his cheek to knock him back.

She stunned him, at least. She wasn’t so stupid as to not know that she wasn’t strong enough to continue on with the fight. She’d surprised him, and that was enough to get herself away. Cupping her flesh arm under her belly, she turned and scrambled away as fast as she could go. She had to find someone else, someone who could make sure Brutus didn’t come near her. Marcus said that Brutus wanted to hurt her, didn’t he? She’d believe it at that point.

Brutus laughed.

It was wet, sloshing through a mouthful of blood, but he laughed. Damn him.

“Feisty!” His word was nothing but approving, but the hard clamp of his hand on her shoulder felt like anything but. “I do like a girl who knows how to get me going.”

Fuck. “Don’t touch me,” she snarled, attempting to twist away, only to have his boots kick against the backs of her knees, forcing the joints into bending until she fell. Well shit. She opened her mouth to scream, only for his thick fingers to shove into her mouth, pinning her tongue down.

There was the panic. Dammit. She really wasn’t strong enough yet to fight against her fear. Her body screamed at her to thrash, but no, she needed to fight, coordinate her movements, like Marcus said. Coordinate, think and move, understand how one movement leads to another and-

There was a sharp thud against the far wall before a scrabbling noise rang out. Nails on wood flooring, Hound came barreling out from the hall way to throw himself against Brutus’s chest, a raspy snarl ripping from his throat.

It was an opening. Sep lunged to her feet to continue her retreat, not looking back. The creature had helped her, and that was enough.

Her feet took her to Bane and Barsad’s room, and it was her hand that closed the door behind her. She was going to learn how to take care of herself, dammit.

“Habibi? What is wrong?”

“Nothing.” Well that came out quick. “I’m fine.” She shuffled her feet against the rug as she came up to the edge of the bed. “What are you doing?”

“Fitting my own arm. Of course I lost the one that caused me no aches and pains.” He shook his head, tightening the support strap around his arm.

“Of course.” Sinking into the bed, she reached out to cup his human hand in both of hers, drawing it close so she could touch over the brace he always wore. “Old man.”

He rumbled, ever so slightly. “It is good to hear you call me that again.”

“Yeah. Sorry.” She glanced up, meeting his eye. “It’s been rough, you know?”

“Of course. I understand completely. You have been through so much.”

“You have too. Where…” She leaned over, spotting a lump further back in the bed. “Barsad? How are you?”

“Tired, I cannot tell when it is night or day.” Without moving from his spot, he patted a hand behind him. “Cuddle with me?”

“Hard to,” she warned as she crawled over, grateful for the guiding hand that Bane offered. “Got your baby in the way.”

“Our baby,” he corrected, finally rolling over to face her, his eyes still closed. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. Really.” She coaxed him into feeling down over her stomach, resting over the roiling and shifting of life within her. “Do you think you’ll want a seeing-eye dog?”

“I do like dogs,” Barsad sighed, hands tucking up under her shirt to feel over her skin directly. “Could be interesting, but I would much rather learn to get around on my own.”

Huh. Interesting thing to hope, but she wasn’t about to ruin Barsad’s hopes. If he was certain he could do fine without aid, then he would. Barsad had never faltered, and he wasn’t about to start any time soon. Maybe he would have a way to do what he said. She would have to see it to believe it, but far be it from her to put a damper on his dreams, not when he had been nothing but encouraging for her. They both had, really. Such good, encouraging men.

Men that she ached to avoid.

It wasn’t fair to them. She knew that. She knew they deserved all the love and attention she could give, but gods, her body wanted her to draw away. She was huge, pregnant, and crippled. She wanted to curl inwards and turn away from everything that was directed her way, but she shouldn’t. She couldn’t. She was tired of so much, tired of being the weak little Ilahah, the goddess that was tended to, the goddess that did nothing. She didn’t want to do nothing. She wanted to be something, provide a guiding light for her League to aspire to. She was just their healer.

She wanted more.

Was that too much to ask? Was it so much to want more from life, more from the people around her. That wasn’t wrong. Many people dragged all that they could out of everything they were around. She didn’t have to be any different.

“Habibi. You’ve got that look in your eye again. What thoughts linger in your head, I wonder?” Bane reached out, cupping her jaw fondly. “Is it anything worth sharing?”

“Yeah,” she huffed, planting her hands on his chest before shoving. “Lay down.”

There was a touch of surprise in his eyes, but he complied all the same. That surprise only grew when she grabbed his wrists and shoved them up over his head, pushing them against the pillows.

“Keep those there,” she huffed as she sat back, looking over the length of him. Such a large man, so powerful. He was meek in her presence, but that wasn’t enough. She wanted to feel stronger than him. She knew that would never actually happen; she would never be able to even come close to the strength that he bore. But there were ways to lie, ways of cheating the belief and being able to convince oneself of something that could never actually be true.

Sex was a good way to start a lie.

“Do you need me, hayete? Should I go?” Barsad rolled over, reaching out to touch her hip. “If you-”

“Stay. I always have need of you.” Shifting her weight to the side, she yanked at the blankets until she could get them off of Barsad, shoving them down. “Lay on your back, hands above your head. Stay still. You will not move unless I direct you to.”

Too many times, she had been passive. They loved her all the same, sure, but she was tired of it. She would not be passive at all times. She wanted to show that she could have initiative in her. So. At that point, she had to show how much she appreciated her two lovers. They were grand, wonderful men, and she never took the time to show them just how much she was attracted to them.

Kneeling in between the two of them, she reached out and lay on hand on the center of their chests, just resting lightly. On her left, she could feel the beat of Bane’s heart under her soft fingertips. Under her right, she felt nothing. In time, the nerves of her new arm would develop, an electronic stimulation that would allow her to control her touch with absolute precision. For now, she just had to look and imagine the heartbeat under her palm, the frantic fluttering, perhaps. At least there was warmth, right? Barsad was definitely warm, in all things.

Moving as one, her hands slid down their chests, down their stomachs until she could tuck her fingers under the hem of their shirts, sliding up underneath to feel and imagine skin more directly. It was a marvel, their strength. Such different bodies, with Bane’s thick strength that denied any challengers, to Barsad’s lean grace, narrow and sharp. She had no doubt that, if they were to fight, they would be matched in the contrast of strength and speed.

Well, maybe they wouldn’t fight anymore. Bane would surely not harm his brother when he had been blinded.

When her right hand touched over Barsad’s chest, he inhaled sharply, letting out a soft laugh after a moment.

“Oh?” She glanced over, lifting a brow. “Comment?”

“Cold. Your hand takes some time to warm up.”

“Oh.” That made sense. Hm. She frowned, pulling her hand free of his shirt.

His expression faltered a little, his brow furrowing. “I can endure it. Please, don’t stop unless you want to.”

“No no, just another idea.” While she still let her touch trail over Bane’s chest, she lifted her metal hand so carefully, resting her fingers over Barsad’s lips. “Perhaps you could warm it with your kiss.”

He shivered, ever so slightly, his blind eyes fluttering shut. His lips parted, his tongue flicking out to touch over the metal, over her hand, licking and kissing her hand like it was to be worshipped. It was a wonderful thing to see, really. It made her pause, made her focus on it entirely. Her mawla never really did anything halfway, did he? A good man, and a better husband, someday.

Right. Where her ring was, she had no idea. Probably with her remaining cuffs. Bane definitely lost his ring with the rest of his arm. They were all so broken, weren’t they? They had such hope for their love, and it got beaten down by boulders and licking fire, taking limbs and taking sight without a thought.

And she was the one to put a damper on it by an ache in her chest, a desperate need to pull away, to curl up and hide from her anger.

Humming softly, she drew her hand back, admiring the sheen of his saliva on the metal for a moment before replacing her hand on his throat. Her fingers twitched as she fanned them wide, only to curl them slowly, watching as white metal pressed into his soft flesh.

“I could break your throat if I wanted,” she murmured before she even though about it, the shock of it rising up in her chest. What a thing to say.

“I would beg it of you if it would please you,” Barsad breathed, tilting his chin back. “If it would bring you a moment’s pleasure, it would be the greatest thing I have ever done.”

Well. What a horrible thing to say. Such devotion should probably be squashed.

But she kind of liked it.

“Would you really?” Her fingers twitched again, apparently hard enough that she could hear Barsad swallow hard, a click of restriction. “If I saw fit to crush your throat and watch you suffocate, you would let me?”

“I would give it all for you.”

“Would you ask the same of me?”

“I would never ask that-”

“But you should.” Her hand relaxed, sliding down to rest over his heart. “You should ask the same of me. I would give it, you know.”

“Habibi,” Bane rumbled, starting to sit up. “What are you-”

“Hey!” She slapped her hand on his chest, her eyes snapping towards him. “I didn’t say you could move. Lay down. Now.”

He paused, his brow furrowing. “What will you do if I don’t?”

“Or I will leave the room and be done with you. So if you want me to stay, you will lay down.”

He met her eye, and finding her honesty there, he resumed the position, though he looked much less comfortable than before.

“I’m not made of glass, you know. I was before, I will admit. I was fragile, born in wealth with no experience in anything else. But…that girl back then would not have survived what I did. She would have crumpled and died. I didn’t. I owe a lot of that to your guys. So. If it comes down to it, I would gladly give myself to save you both. I want…” She trailed off, her eyes closing. She wanted so much. So much more than the world had to give.

“Sep?”

She sighed, shaking her head as she opened her eyes again. “Don’t worry about it.”

Not very convincing, she knew, but it would have to do. She had so much to think about, and it was up to her to figure it out. There were things they could give her, though.

While Marcus had dance, she had something much more entertaining to keep her body fit.

Her hands trailed down their bodies until she could feel the strength of their cores, lingering there for a moment before pressing down further, lingering on the front of their pants. It took so much focus, at least with her right hand. She didn’t want to press too hard, though Barsad had shown some favor in pain.

Pain.

“I know what I want,” she huffed, squeezing her hand over Bane’s cock. “I want you both inside of me. At the same time.” It would take some fumbling with her stupidly big belly in the way, but with Bane’s length, it was possible. They would find a way.

“How would you like us, habibi?” His voice took on that low rumble that he favored in the bedroom, his hands curling in the pillows above his head. “Who gets to enjoy your lips on-”

“No. Both in my cunt. Or in my ass, I don’t care.”

Well apparently, that was a huge no-no to say as both Bane and Barsad sat up sharply.

“Sep, please,” Bane sighed, reaching for her. “We are here for you, but-”

“Stop. I don’t want to hear it,” she huffed, turning her face away. “I just want-”

“Sep. I would tell you to look at me but I wouldn’t know if you were.” Barsad chuckled faintly, reaching out and patting until he found her hand. “If you need to talk, we are here. If you want to-”

“I want to get fucked, dammit. I want…” She frowned, covering her face with her hands. “I want to feel, dammit. I want you guys to…I want it to hurt. No, ache. I want to be forced and…” She swallowed hard, feeling something near panic lingering in her chest. “I don’t want to be treated like glass anymore. I’m not fragile. I don’t want to be fragile anymore.”

“That’s not a good way to think, habibi. It is not wrong to be fragile. You can be-”

“Stop. Just. Stop.” She finally scowled at them, itching to draw away as quickly as possible. “Stop being so goddamn approving of me.”

She was a horrible person, wasn’t she? Getting mad at two wonderful men for loving her. What kind of person was she to lash out when all they wanted was for her to be happy? They didn’t want to change her, didn’t want her to feel the need to change, and all she oculd do was lash and fight like some kind of caged animal. Maybe it was the itching in the back of her neck, that crawling sickness that simmered in her over the goddamn baby in her belly. She wanted to love it immediately, wanted to love that she was carrying the child of the two men she loved, but all she could think was that it was a parasite, a creature living under her skin, eating away at her. In the quiet moments, when her thoughts stilled and the baby rolled and pushed at the thin layer of skin separating it from the air, all she could think was a constant pleading to get the goddamn thing out of her.

“I’m sick,” she croaked, hunching over her belly, wrapping her arms around her middle. “In so many ways. I’m sick and I can’t ask for help. I won’t.” And she was selfish and horrible. They were in so much pain too, and all she could focus on was herself. She needed to wake up and help them.

“We are here for you, Sep. Always.”

“I don’t deserve it. Not yet.” She would. She had to find a way to be worth their devotion. “If you two won’t fuck me, can I at least get a kiss?”

“We will if you want us, but just…not the way you ask. We could not hurt you. We would not.”

“Ugh.” She threw her hands up. “A kiss then. Then I’m going to sleep in Marcus’s room.”

Bane faltered, glancing at Barsad, as if he could have the look returned, just as they had used to. “Are you and Marcus…”

“Ugh! Nevermind!” Slapping her hands down on the bed, she twisted to clamber off. “None of your fucking business who I do and don’t do. At least he’s telling me everything I need to hear while you two continue to fuckin dance around me being some kind of delicate fuckin’ flower. I’ve killed people. I’ve fought a serial killer. I hacked his head open with a hatchet. And Barsad, you saw this. You know how brutal I can be and you still tiptoe around it. I’m not something to be protected any more. I won’t be.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Bane huffed, moving to follow her off of the bed. “Stay and talk with us. All can be talked out.”

“No. You want me to listen to you, to shrink away and understand whatever truths you think I should believe. I want to think for my own. I don’t want to be talked at. Can’t you understand what I am?” She stepped forward, shoving him in the chest until he collapsed back onto the bed. “I’m angry! But I am not broken!”

“No one said you were, Sep. We know this.”

“But you keep acting like it!” Throwing her hands up again, she turned and stomped out of their room.

Stupid. All of them. She was stupid, they were stupid. All of it was stupid. She knew it wasn’t safe out of their room, around Brutus, but she didn’t want to spend another moment with them. Damn supportive fuckers.

Brutus and Hound were nowhere in sight, and that suited her just fine. No need to worry about them. She didn’t really want to be around anyone at that point, not that she had much choice. All she knew was that weird apartment no windows, too many rooms. She didn’t even know how to get out, much less where she even was. Trapped in that strange place with strange people, all she could do was pace.

She didn’t even know where Abdul-Hamid and Kojo were. She was told they were fine, told that they were alive, but she hadn’t seen them. All she knew was Bane and Barsad, and the seven.

Damn them all.

She stomped her way back into Marcus’s room, more than a little disappointed to see Marcus in there, reading quietly. He was dressed differently, settled comfortably in his large reading chair, the room smelling clean as from the shower he had taken after the exercise. Dammit. She just wanted to be alone.

He didn’t look up from his book, quietly turning a page before he patted the cushions beside him. No words were said. No words needed to be said.

Might as well. Sighing, she shuffled over, pushing her hair back, sinking into the chair beside him. When she glanced up to his face, he didn’t meet her eye. He only smiled faintly, and did not move.

Well. Maybe silence was just as good as being alone. She slumped down, closing her eyes as she settled her hands on her belly.

Just some peace. Time to think.

====================

“If you break another pair, I will throw you out.”

“Stop giving me nice shit, then.” Frowning, she gingerly plucked up the chopsticks, folding her metal fingers just to hold it as best as she could. “Then you won’t care when I break it.”

“Just stop breaking things.”

She sniffed indifferently as she reached out, carefully pressing the sticks around a roll of sushi, careful not to pinch too hard. She had already had quite enough of shredding all the sushi Niveus was so carefully preparing. Not when he made such lovely art out of it.

“Also, sushi is bad for babies.”

“Get fucked. Stop making it for me, then.”

Niveus lifted a brow at her, setting out another line of rolls. “You cannot eat away your emotions. You must speak to them eventually.”

“Fah.” He was right, not that she wanted to think about it. It was stupid. She was stupid. She just didn’t want to deal with that any time soon.

Clicking her chopsticks together, she glanced over her shoulder. Further back in the strange, windowless apartment they had been staying in, Bane and Barsad sat on the couch. It was how it had gone for a week. They had lingered near her for so long, just lurking on the edges of the room she was in. They were treating her like a wild animal, too afraid to approach.

Good.

But she had to do something. Whether she liked it or not, she wanted to keep them around. She loved them, and they loved her. It was just up to her to make sure that they started to see her a little differently.

Sighing, she dropped the chopsticks on the counter before she turned, carefully lowering herself off of the stool. It took a moment to keep her balance on her metal legs, but she was getting better at it every day. Still hurt, though.

All it took was practice. She just had to practice walking, practice using her weird metal arm, practice thinking like she was a person. That was part of it. Or rather, that was most of it.

Bane looked up, surprise in his eyes as she stopped in front of the two of them. His hand started to lift from his lap, only to pause, uncertain. God, how strange was that? Bane, the huge warlord that had sought the destruction of an entire city, uncertain in the face of a small, pregnant girl.

“Scoot,” she huffed, swatting at them until Bane shifted over a little, giving her enough space to turn and slump down in between them. There was a comfort there, feeling their warmth, breathing in their familiar scent. It was like coming home. She breathed a heavy sigh, stretching her legs out a bit. “Hello.”

“Habibi,” Bane breathed, his head lowering a little. “It has been a while.”

“Yeah, it has.” She sniffed, glancing at him. “How are you?”

“I am fine.”

“And you?” She nudged Barsad, her heart breaking a little more when his eyes turned towards her, but not quite. “How are you?”

“Better now.” He smiled, just barely. “It is good to hear you again.”

“I…” She trailed off, biting her lip. “I was going to say I was sorry. But I’m not. I’m not sorry.”

Bane exhaled softly, reaching out with his own metal hand, only to stop and let it rest in his lap again. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“Yes? No. Kind of.” She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her human hand. “I needed time. Need time. To think. To breathe. Not that you…no, that’s not true.” She sighed, slumping lower. “I was with my family all of my life. And then, I’ve been with you. It’s never been just me. I’ve never had to take care of myself before. And I like being taken care of, I do, but I also feel like I haven’t had a chance to grow. You say I’m strong. I just don’t see it. If I’ve had you guys to take care of me, how could I have gotten stronger?”

“I see. I think.” Bane reached over, resting his hand on her leg. “You need room to find out who you are when you have no one beside you, so to speak.”

“I guess so. I’m not really alone, I know that. But you say I’m strong and I just don’t believe it. I don’t. I’m not…you wanted me to be a guiding light for the League. There is no way I could do that.” She clenched her hands into fists, flinching at the scrape of metal against metal. “But I will. I want to learn how. I want to be worthy of them.”

“You are already, baby. You have to-”

“No, I’m not. It’s a league of assassins. Even the young ones knew how to kill a man without hesitation, and here I am, barely able to heal people. Sure, I have my poisons, but that’s not enough. Would I even be able to make the hard decisions? What if something happens to you again and I really will have to lead them? We were lost without you, Bane. All they did was talk about you. All they did was mourn your loss. I did nothing to help them.” Huffing, she hauled herself to her feet again, resting her hands over her belly, feeling lightly. “I mourned too, but I was weak. I let my sadness control me when I should have turned that around and tracked down your killers. I should have, and yet, I did nothing.”

“Sep,” Bane growled, his voice low, almost a warning. She could feel the tension behind her. She knew how she sounded, even before he said it.

“I’m not Talia. I will never be Talia, no matter what I do. I don’t want to be her. She was manic, throwing away the League for her revenge story. My revenge would better the group as a whole. We would conquer those who took the people we loved from us. We would show that we were not to be fucked with, and we could move on, and be stronger.” She turned on them, hands braced against the roundness of her pregnant belly, as if to frame it. “I want us to be better. I want us to lead. We are the League of Shadows, and we will no longer lurk and wait to be hired. We can make our own fate, can’t we?”

Bane glanced at Barsad before he thought about it, sighing as he reached over to clasp him on the knee. “I am only nervous, habibi. I don’t want you to drive yourself into ruin over this. We love you just the way you are.”

“But I don’t. I want to be able to stand beside you without you needing to protect me. I want this child to know what strength really is.” She was whining now, definitely. Dammit. She closed her eyes, breathing out slowly. “I want it to be so that I can face my mother and take her down myself. Marcus is right. I can be strong. And I want to learn how.”

“You worry me, habibi.” He extended his hand to her. “Please. I don’t want you to change who you are just because of this loss.”

“Impossible not to change.” There was a hesitation, but she still moved forward, clasping his hand in both of hers. “I cannot deny that I have changed, but Bane. Due to the intent of others, I’ve lost my legs. I lost my arm. I almost lost my baby, almost lost the both of you. That’s inexcusable. I am not content to be served any longer.”

Reaching out, she touched his mask lightly with her metal fingers, touching so carefully as their eyes met. She stared intently, jaw set as she breathed out. He had to know her determination, her new truth. She would be warped, yes, but it was her decision to turn her trauma into her strength, not into her hindrance.

“I am still your habibi, Bane. But I am not going to be your Ilahah any longer. I am no goddess. Goddesses do not go to war to defend their people. I will not be elevated to a place of worship any longer. I will be on the ground with you, with my League, and I will lead the fight. I will be there, and I will shed blood for my League, for my warriors, for all the people that deserve so much better. For you, for Barsad, I will fight. I will bleed. I will know the battle intimately. I will lead the fight, raise my fist high and I will scream out our defiance against the world. I will be-”

“Zaeim,” Bane breathed, bowing his head to her. “The League’s Zaeim.”

“Zaeim,” Barsad agreed, reaching out to brace a touch on Bane’s shoulder.

Sure. Zaeim. It felt good, really. Besides, she had new limbs to add her scars on to. This time, maybe she could bear the carving with no pain.

She smiled wryly to herself as she reached out, resting a gentle hand on Bane and Barsad.

Her better self would have a better name, that was for sure.


	28. City State

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sep's curiosity is enough to get her to leave the apartment. What a fun city it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I said I was going to post faster, but there seemed to be a total lack of interest lol. Well I'll post anyways. Because maybe someone is out there still reading this?

Meditation was still a little bit beyond her grasp, but she was working on it. Silly reason to be meditating, but hey, any excuse she could use.

Just breathe deep, just focus and be patient. She could do that.

The elevator door binged, and she could not choke back the eager gasp that bubbled up from her throat. No way she could lurch to her feet though. Really, she would do anything to be able to get up when the sweet, sweet scent of fried foods wafted over.

“Ah, my Zaeim!” Kojo laughed at the sight of her, presumably entertained by her flailing and failing. “Eagerly awaiting my return, I see. I am so pleased to know that you love me.”

“Kojo, come on.” He was teasing her, damn him. “Please tell me you got it.”

“I did, I did.” Rather than helping her up, he came to sit by her side, placing the paper bag in her lap. “I am weak man to the pleading eyes of my beautiful Zaeim.”

“Flirt,” she huffed, but she still reached up to grab at his neck, dragging him down so she could plant a kiss on his cheek. Satisfied that she had shown enough affection, she tore into the bag, yanking out some of the wrapped foods inside.

Bad that she had to bribe someone to go get her fast food, but she had cravings, and Bane was hiding away just as much as she was. Not that she had tried to leave. There was some comfort in hiding in the windowless apartment, caged in and secure. The only access to the apartment was a large elevator, which was strange in itself, but she didn’t have enough thought to ask what that was about.

Marcus had his reasonings for everything. He was a precise, organized man. Nothing was on accident. So the lack of windows, the elevator, they all had their purpose. She even had her purpose, she was sure. She was there for a reason, probably for reasons more complex than she could ever begin to conceive.

He was complex. Interesting. He was the other side of insanity that she had never imagined before. He took his broken mind and he made it work. She could do the same.

“Suitable, Zaeim?”

“Mm?” She glanced up at Kojo, confused for a moment before he gestured to the food. “Oh. Yes, thank you. It’s perfect. Would you…” She waved to it as well, a little relieved when he refused. She could clean it out herself. “Kojo? Could you tell me what you saw out there?”

“Hm? Out where?”

“In the elevator, the building…you know, outside of this apartment. I was brought here unconscious. I have no idea where we are, really. Please tell me about it. I want to know.”

“I see. Yes, I suppose it is good to know where we have been hiding. Which is a good thing. We need time to recover. You need time to recover.” He reached over to pat her knee, letting his hand rest there. “The city outside of here is strange, Zaeim. It is…quiet.”

“That’s a bad thing?” She was teasing, but the seriousness that remained on his face was enough to smother her attempts. “What do you mean?”

“It is so peaceful. Abnormally so.” He started to continue, but paused, shaking his head. “Let me start again. Abaddon’s presence in this city is known. He is hidden, but they are aware of him. And I believe that is what makes this city so quiet. It is not that they fear him. Perhaps he protects them.”

Cryptic as shit. It worried her, but Kojo was talking about things at his own pace. She just continued to eat and listen.

“This building is a warehouse on the outside, but it is not inside. The city streets are quiet, and there are men and women who linger in alleys, on street corners, on the empty aisles of grocery stores. They just quietly nod. I thought nothing of them, but then I noticed that they wear insignias. I have counted seven different symbols, be they stitched into jackets or tattooed into skin. I think these people work for Abaddon.”

Made sense. Marcus did seem to have quite a large presence. Seven different symbols, seven different members of his elite. So he owned the city, and there was peace.

“I think…I think that’s what Gotham could have been if Talia hadn’t been so set on destroying it,” she murmured, slowly peeling back the paper on her burger. “If the League had been more organized, focused the influence, then perhaps the city could have been saved. There’s so much darkness there. If the League could focus, protect as well as teach, then…”

Well that sounded kind of awful, actually. Very police-state-y. Maybe she did need to take a breather. Shaking her head, she took a bite out of her burger. Food was better than talking like Hitler.

“I could see it. The part of the city that I’ve seen was quite nice, really. There were lovely murals and everyone seemed content. I think that the foulness of the world was kept hidden from those who are good. Maybe if you ask Marcus nicely, he will take you to see it.”

“Maybe.”

It didn’t take too long for her to clean out the entirety of the bag of burgers, and she wanted to be ashamed of it. Probably Bane’s healthy way of life getting to her. Such a bad influence. Shame on him.  
Crumpling up her wrappers, she shoved them all back in the bag. “Alright. Help me up. I should actually do something.”

“Sometimes, it’s fine to do nothing. But, if you like…” He stood, hooking his hands under her elbows to hoist her up. There was some flailing, some grunting and some near falls, but otherwise, he managed to get her to her feet without hurting anything. “There we are. Now. Anything you will need me to help with?”

“I think that will be all, Kojo. Thank you so very much for your help.”

She was such an ungrateful woman. So many wonderful people around her, and she hardly knew how to handle it. She lashed out, yelled and raged like something awful. She was confused. She wanted to be something more. She wanted to be good, and something they could count on. Was that so much to ask? Was that strange of her?

Probably. She should keep her head on her shoulders. Rubbing her hands over her belly, she wandered on back through the apartment, wishing the baby could be out, so she could take the time to be more than what she was. Kind of hard to be better when there was a little pink worm shoving around in her guts.

As if on cue, the baby made two sharp kicks against her bladder. Angry thing. So eager to be out. Took after Barsad like that. Nothing could keep it contained, keep them contained. It would be good to finally hold it in her arms, talk nice to it, teach it to be strong and healthy. While she still struggled with a bit of motherhood in her heart, she would be better than her mother. She would be good.

Eventually. She was working on it. Sure she was avoiding the men that actually helped make the baby, but she needed to learn herself before she could…reintroduce herself to them. She really never had a chance to be her own person. It was about time that she took a little bit of focus for herself, if only to see who she could be, what she could change into. Set a good standard for her child when it came out. Show what their mother could do.

She turned to start wandering through the apartment just as the elevator clicked again, the metal doors sliding open smoothly. It startled her into turning around, a smile touching her lips when she saw Marcus. It faltered a little when she saw him in his armor, his helmet under his arm, but eh. It was still nice to see him.

His gaze flickered up from the floor, returning her smile easily as he stepped in. An honest, open smile, one that she certainly didn’t deserve what with how greedily she had been taking everything he had given without a thought to repaying him.

“Hello, Sep. How are you feeling today? Anything worth noting?”

“No, not really.” She shrugged, patting her hands over her belly. “Kojo was good enough to bring me food. He had some…commentary about your city. Said it was strange, that there were insignias and the like. I find myself more than a little curious about it too, actually.”

“Ah yes, my city.” He nodded faintly, brushing past her so he could set down his helmet, his gloves smoothing over the rigid Kevlar. “One of a few, really, ones that I have tended to for years. Not my first city, no, but…” He shrugged turning back to face her. “I assume you have some questions about it.”

“It sounds a little like a police state, not unlike Nazi Germany if-”

“No, we are nothing like that. No one is judged for things they cannot change. We only judge those who would seek to do harm for their own profit, for selfish reasons. I…” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “My cities are made safe against those who would harm others by those who would cause harm to others. I take those with violence issues and give them a purpose, a safe way to express it. Some criminals only committed their crime due to something they had no control over. I give them purpose, a safe way to help others. No one is weighed as being worth more than anyone else.”

Passionate, apparently. She smiled a little as she listened to him, her hands rubbing mindlessly over her belly. There were so many similarities between his lot and hers. Cults. Crazy how they all worked out.

“We are the protectors, the police force. There is no violence here without my knowing of it.” He slapped his palm down on his helmet, like it was an example for his anger. “This city is safe.”

“Alright, alright. I understand. Sorry for implying otherwise.” At her words, he sighed, slumping a little. “You’ve had to explain yourself to too many people, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I have. It gets a little exhausting.” Chuckling faintly, he shrugged. “I care about my people. They’ve done so well for so long. I don’t want them to feel like they aren’t worth their abilities.”

“I believe you. I do. It sounds…interesting, to say the least. Maybe, I mean…” She trailed off, shrugging. “If I didn’t look about ready to pop, I’d like to go out and see it.”

He opened his mouth to say something, only to fade off in a hum, pressing his lips together tightly, his eyes trailing over her. “You are exceptionally large.”

“Oh. Wow. Thank you. Yes, I am a whale.”

“You are,” he laughed, stepping over so he could rest his hands over her belly. “You are so fucking big. Holy shit. Pardon my language, but Sep. Holy shit.”

“Shut up!” She wanted to sound angry, but she was too busy laughing as she slapped at his hands. “I’m carrying life! I am a beacon of growth and life and it is a beautiful process and I don’t even believe the words that are coming out of my face.”

“No one believes it. Children are disasters. And you are carrying one.” He shook his head, flicking his hands like he was trying to expel the whole situation. “But luckily for you, I am an expert whale wrangler. So let me get changed, and then we can get the whale back into the ocean. So.” He took a moment to shoot some finger guns her way. “Don’t sit down. We’ll get out of here in a minute.”

“Man you are in a good fuckin’ mood. Fuck you in the ass, Marcus.”

He barked out a laugh as he headed back into the apartment. Damn him when he was in such a good mood. Must have gone well with whatever the fuck he was doing. It was nice to see him doing so well, seeing when he was so willing to touch and talk and laugh. She’d seen him go nonverbal a time or two, curled up in his room with something to hold his attention. He was a complex man, though he was infinitely more approachable than the other members of their group. As much as she wanted to get to know them, it was difficult to understand what made them tick, as well as what not to do to upset them. They were dangerous people, and there was no need to upset them if she didn’t have to.

A few minutes later, Marcus reappeared, shrugging on one of his weighted jackets, judging from how it thudded around his shoulders. Always with the armor, always with the defenses. Not a bad idea. At least, even with the loss of her flesh and blood limbs, she had gained the metal strength of her new body. She could be with her own defenses at all times.

“Shall we?” He gestured towards the elevator, hesitating when he glanced down. “Right. Shoes. Let’s get some of those on you.”

While he went off in a hunt for shoes, she turned back, looking into the apartment. Bane and Barsad were back there. She was getting ready to leave the apartment, and she should really tell them where she was going.

But she didn’t have to. She was her own person. She didn’t…

God, she hated herself sometimes. If she could just have a serious thought for once in her life, that would be great. Hating herself helped no one.

Of course, yelling at herself internally while Marcus helped her put shoes on certainly didn’t help either. She’d get her life together eventually.

“Alright. Let’s try that again.”

Indeed. Waddling after him, Sep’s eyes flicked around the interior of the elevator. It was strange in how normal it looked. Just a large, very large elevator, almost like a cargo elevator. It matched with the fact that it was all in a warehouse. A strange place to set up, that was for sure, but it had its benefits. It most definitely didn’t look like a gang hivemind from the outside.

“So.” Might as well talk. “Where were you earlier, if I may ask?”

“Ah, had to visit the airfield, make sure my cargo plane was all fueled. Never take a man’s word for it when you can go and confirm it for yourself. Which is just a fancy bullshit way of saying ‘ trust no one’. It can be exhausting, but it is worth it in the long run.”

Airfield? Cargo plane? “You have a plane?”

“I have a few. Perks afforded by Brutus. He really is useful, no matter how much I do not like him.” So nonchalant. He just stared at the descending floor number, his hands shoved in his pockets.

“But…an airplane?”

“Didn’t you have an airplane? Helicopter? Something of the sort? I was told you traveled to and from the Middle East on your own whim.”

“But…Well. I mean. You own cities.”

“A benefit afforded to me by compiling powerful people into one unit. With each of us, we have a different…advantage over those who would do us harm. Brutus gives us supplies, Rimor informants, Oracle intel. We each empower the other. It was a rough start, but we’ve leveled out.” He shrugged again, finally dragging his attention over to her. “I imagine you will do the same with the League.”

Optimistic view, but hopefully, he was right. She wasn’t Talia. She would be better than her.

The elevator finally slowed, the doors sliding open to reveal the first floor. While the top had been an apartment, the first floor was more of an arena, a training grounds. Nearly countless men and women moved about the warehouse space, sparring with one another, tending to weaponry, eating and even napping in corners. Far more people than she had ever thought she would see there. It was as fascinating as it was intimidating, and she found herself drifting closer to Marcus, like he could protect her from it all.

He noticed the movement, turning back to grin at her. “Hey now, they’re good people. Nothing to be worried about.”

“Says you. You’re their leader.”

“And you are a leader as well. They can recognize leadership at a glance.” Pressing his hand to her back, he coaxed her forward, moving certainly. The people parted around them like water. And every one would look up, nodding to Marcus, greeting him softly.

Insignias indeed. It took her a moment, but she eventually noticed the symbols that Kojo had mentioned. On some, she saw what looked to be a stylized eye on jackets, tattooed into skin. Further off, she saw a screaming skull in profile, a mohawk extending from its crown. Fascinating, really. She found herself staring at each person, to try and see if she could figure out their insignias before she actually saw it, if there was some relation to what symbol they bore and what they looked like.

When they reached a large set of roller doors, Marcus tugged her to a stop, startling her into focusing forward again. By the door stood a rather hulking shape of a man, leaning against the wall as he cradled an assault rifle in his arms. He was almost as armored as Marcus was when he fought, his own helmet simple black, smooth, featureless. However, the patch on his arm had a melting skull with a sort of crown over it, the whole thing blazing white against the stark black of his armor and clothes. At their approach, he pushed away from the wall, lifting a hand to press his fist over his heart, bowing slightly.

Marcus nodded slightly before gesturing to her. “Please fetch a chair for her. I mean to show her our city.”

“On your order.” He bowed crisply again, reaching up to press a finger to the side of his helmet, barking something out.

She was such a sucker for military organization and uniforms. She stared quite openly at the strange man until his head tilted to the side, as if inquisitive of her stare. Only then did she flush and look down. She was such a weak, weak woman.

“Is this she, sir?”

“Yes. Zaeim. She is doing well, no?” Marcus smiled down at her, almost fond. “She’s been through so much.”

“She still looks strong to me, sir.”

They were totally lying, but that was fine. She’d gotten quite used to lying.

Regardless of their commentary, she managed to notice when another person came up, pushing a wheelchair ahead of them. They left it at Marcus’s side with a short nod, backing away after. But really, all that mattered was the wheelchair.

“Is that for me?”

“Of course it is. I won’t be forcing a pregnant woman to go walking around my city. We need to pamper you, let you rest. Plus, I am quite sure I will never hear the end of it if your ankles swell any more than now.”

She started to agree when her brain finally caught up with her, her face twisting in annoyance. His only response was to grin and gesture to the chair. Swollen ankles indeed. Asshole. She hobbled over to it to sink into it, sighing heavily with relief. Standing sucked so bad. So very, very bad. Sitting down on her tour was a lovely idea, and she almost wanted to kiss Marcus for having it. Smart, smart man. Still an asshole though.

“We’ll be back. Don’t let the warehouse burn down.”

“Of course, sir.” The man bowed to him again before slinging his rifle on his back, using both hands to grab the chain for the door. With rapid, powerful yanks on it, the door rolled upwards steadily, giving them enough room to exit. “I hope you enjoy our city,” he murmured as Marcus wheeled her out past him. Yup. He’d definitely noticed her staring. Asshole.

But he didn’t matter as soon as they left the warehouse. She had too many interesting things to look at.

It was definitely a warehouse, and it was definitely surrounded by a junkyard. Twisted cars, broken appliances, trash of every kind made strange walls and pathways through the property. It was unassuming, and yet, provided a perfect way to funnel any intruder down to a precise point. Easily defendable, at the very least. It was a marvel in itself to see, especially since Marcus wheeled her through with absolute confidence. As they passed the wreckage, she could see faint movement up top. Sentries of some kind.

The perfect layout of it all tickled her endlessly, at least the nerdy part of herself. It reminded her way too much of some kind of movie special forces, all fancy and the like. Except it was a real thing. A real gang of real killers.

Her life was so fucked.

They finally rolled out of the junkyard and onto the street, her wheelchair bumping over the rough asphalt as they went. She just rested her hands over her belly, taking in the sights of an actual city, with fresh air and exposed sky and the like. It had been literal months since she had seen the sky. Such a luxury.

“Nice breeze, mm?”

“Oh, yeah.” She tilted her head back, smiling up at Marcus. “It’s nice to get some fresh air.”

“I can imagine. Been a while.” He slowed for a moment, glancing both ways before rolling her across the street. “But I don’t blame you. I’ve done my share of hiding away. Mostly when I was younger, fresh out.”

“Fresh out?”

“Prison. Spent a lot of years there before I was a killer. Hilarious, really. Put an innocent man in prison and make him a guilty man. It happens a lot, but it was strange to be a witness of it on my own.” His voice was a sigh, like the story tired him from retelling it. Or he just didn’t like what it did to him. “I’d just been a bullied kid when I went in, and came out a neurotic, stammering, twitchy mess. Couldn’t make eye contact. Threw up every time I saw my own face. I’m better now.”

“Clearly. But…why throw up?” She had moods like that sometimes, when she really didn’t want to see herself in the mirror. Always thinking that her ass was too dimpled, her stomach too big, her breasts too droopy. There were the rare days that she thought she actually looked kind of cute, but that was rare. Really rare. But she never threw up at the sight of herself.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged carelessly, slowing down at a crosswalk to tap the button, watching as cars zipped by. “Maybe I was disgusted with my weakness. Maybe I knew that I wasn’t taking up the proper form I needed. It took a moment of pure stupidity to help me get over it.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Murdered Nabii’s abusive boyfriend in front of Brutus. With a chisel.” When she twisted around to look at him incredulously, he lifted his hand, mimicking the stabbing motion he apparently used. “Right in the face. I forget his name. He was a prick.”

“I can imagine.” Geezus. “I hacked open a serial killer with a hatchet.”

“Mm, I remember. Which is why we’re in this mess.” He shrugged, starting across the street once they had the signal. “Truly brutal. Much like I was. I left nothing but a pulpy mess for his face. I was angry and he was in my way. Funny how little things can change you.”

Her fingers drummed over her belly. She could really agree with that. Only it wasn’t very small at that point. She really looked like she was about to pop.

She let her eyes wander over the streets, smiling faintly. It took her a moment before she spotted the people lingering on the streets, just like Kojo said. And again, just like he said, she noted patches on their jackets, tattoos on their skin. Members of Marcus’s gang, no doubt.

But they seemed to ignore them as they passed. Some smoked lazily as they leaned against a storefront, some made busy whittling a block of wood. They just…hung around. Watching. Protecting.

So curious. She smiled a little, still stupidly pleased with it. Honestly, in some weird way, they felt safer than even a police officer. She saw the police in Gotham. She saw the League in Gotham. She knew who she would rather be around. It was much the same with Marcus’s gang. They had far more rigid ideals than the actual law had. ‘Disobey and die’ was far more persuasive than ‘disobey and get a note in your file’.

“Want to stop for something to eat? There’s a nice café just up ahead.”

“Oh, yes. Yes please.” She patted her hands in rapid succession on her stomach. Despite the fact that she had eaten several burgers before heading out with him, she was hungry. Again. And, as if in protest to her patting, the food-consumer within her gave two sharp kicks to her spine. Yes. Thank you for announcing your leeching presence. “And we have another confirm from the monster inside me.”

“Monster indeed.” He leaned down, peering critically at her belly just as it gave several more kicks, making her grunt. “Is it eager for food?”

“Apparently. Want to feel?”

He hummed, then shrugged. “I suppose.”

She settled back as he leaned over more, reaching over her shoulder to settle his hand on her belly. The baby, true to form, continued to roll and kick around, making him chuckle at the feeling. Yeah, it was probably funny to someone who didn’t have to deal with it at all hours.

“Strange little creature,” he sighed, finally drawing away, continuing them on their trek down the street.

“No kidding." Active son of a bitch. Which meant, despite everything, despite every fucking messed up thing she had to go through, it was still healthy. Somehow, impossibly, it was still healthy. How she managed to keep it, she had no idea. She lost the first one because of stress, and that seemed pathetic next to the stress she had suffered more recently. Triple amputation. That was...

Well, maybe she was made of stronger stuff now. More resilient. More determined to keep a child for her lovers. Whom she had been ignoring still. Whatever.

They rolled up on a charming little café, tucked in between a notary and a tattoo parlor. It seemed cramped, but that probably only added to the charm of it. It wasn’t busy inside, filled instead with quiet people at the tables, wrapped in quiet conversation or reading. It was nice. Peaceful.

Marcus slowed in front of the counter, humming as he peered up at the menu. “What would you like to eat?”

“What’s good here?”

“Everything’s good here. Except the vegan omelet, but they only put that there to keep some protesters quiet.”

Vegan omelet? Gross. Her lip curled a little at the thought, but pushed that out of her mind quickly. Didn’t have to worry about that mess. Eventually she settled on something that pretty much only had ingredients that she liked, and Marcus rolled them up to the counter, where a bright eyed girl stood waiting for them.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Connors.”

“Hello, Grace.” Marcus stepped up beside Sep, nodding to the girl before looking down at her. “What will you have?”

Must be a regular there. She smiled at the girl, looking for any kind of insignia. When there was none to be found, she shrugged it off. “The pork burrito please.”

“Add a little egg to that too,” Marcus cut in, lifting a brow at her disgruntled huff. “It’s good for the baby. And I swear, it won’t make it taste any less delicious.”

“It will only add to it,” Grace agreed, her smile brightening. “We’ll mix it in with the sauce or something. You won’t even notice.”

“Oh, alright.” She sighed, settling back. “And some juice, please.”

“And I’ll have a cup of coffee with a cinnamon roll.”

“Of course.” Grace nodded eagerly, tapping it all up. “It will be right out.”

“Thank you, Grace.” Marcus nodded to her before wheeling her away, taking her back to a table in the corner. Once she was tucked up close, he settled down at a chair beside her, sighing heavily.

“Don’t have to pay?”

“Nah.” He waved his hand, dispelling the notion.

“Why?”

He stared at her for a moment, shrugging. “I own this city. They rent this space from my building in my city. I charge very little in the terms of rent. If anything, they are in my debt.”

“So…you extort?”

“I will hit a pregnant woman. First comparing us to Hitler, now this.” He tossed his hands up in mock exasperation. “We’re good people. My people pay for their food. My people prevent any kind of robbery from happening, and if there is a crime, they can come to us and know for certain that we will do something about it. We’re good people, Sep.”

“Right, sorry.” She really needed to think before she said things. “I just don’t comprehend how well this works out. Hard to understand someone with their life in order.”

“Sep, I’m much older than you. I’ve had a lot more time to figure these things out. And I’ve been in this life for pretty much my whole life. You’ve shifted social classes. It makes sense that it would be harder for you.”

“I guess.” She shrugged lamely, stroking her belly slowly, pleased that the baby seemed to settle, pacified by the notion that food was coming. “I’m just trying to do better.”

“You are doing better. You’re much further along than you were in the beginning.”

“You didn’t know me in the beginning.”

“I know you well enough at this point. Tell me. What would you have done if you lost all three limbs way back when, right as soon as you met Bane and Barsad?”

Ah, well. She’d most definitely be dead. The pain and stress of it would have been too much. She wouldn’t have been able to comprehend life like that with no one to care for her. Which, well, she was lucky she had met Marcus and garnered his favor, even way back when when she had met him before.

“Hey, so.” She cleared her throat. “You’re different.”

“Well yeah. We know that.”

“No, I mean…” Hard to say it nicely. “You seemed like a religious nut when I met you first, in the warehouse. And wasn’t it called A Cruce Salus then? Your gang?”

“Oh.” He chuckled, settling back as he rubbed his face. “Yeah. It was a persona. The people of Gotham didn’t like me on my own. They listened more to a religious zealot than they did to just…me. So I tried it out. It felt weird. I really, really don’t like Gotham.”

“Wow. That’s stupid.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I don’t believe in God. How could I? After all the shit I’ve seen, I’m supposed to believe in a higher power? Like this was all supposed to happen? That’s fucked up.”

She hummed in agreement. Whatever Marcus had been back in Gotham, she hadn’t liked it. Probably hadn’t cared for being so far away from his safe city. A sort of defense in his personality. She’d done that in those fancy parties, pretending to be fascinated in everything.

When their food was brought out, they tucked into it quietly. Marcus threw an inquisitive glance her way, and she was forced to confirm that yes, the eggs were okay in her burrito. She half expected him to get cocky about it, but he just nodded sagely, sipping his coffee.

Gods, it was nice being around other people. Just normal people, doing their own thing. And really, it was nice still being around Marcus. He was just a calm personality that wasn’t Bane or Barsad. An outside source. Someone not in love with her. Someone reasonable and free thinking.

She glanced up at him, entertaining the thought. He was level headed. Strong. And really, actually kind of handsome.

Oh no she thought he was handsome.

She flushed, ducking her head again. No. Bad Sep. Don’t think of him as handsome. She had a horrible track record of getting crushes on strong people. Not Brutus, though. He was a goddamn creep. She was being silly, especially since Marcus and Nabii seemed to be a thing, plus she was extremely pregnant. Not exactly the most appealing state to be in. She was a whale, after all.

Which, yeah. She cleared her throat, waiting until he met her eye. “So. Are you and Nabii a thing?”

“Ah.” He chuckled faintly, which wasn’t really an answer. “Not really.”

“Not really? What does that mean?”

“It means that we love each other very much, but no, we’re not…dating? Whatever the term that could apply. She’s very dear to me, the first friend I ever made. I would give my life to see her safe. But I don’t have romantic feelings for her.”

“Oh.” Gods she shouldn’t feel relieved why was she like this. “You two seem familiar.”

“Oh we are. We’ve been intimate before.”

What. She blinked dumbly, swatting at him when he didn’t continue. “Explain. Please.”

He lifted a brow at her, tearing a chunk off of his cinnamon roll. “So fascinated in my love life, eh?” Despite his statement, he shrugged. “I’ve been intimate with every one of my elite, and sometimes, even lower ranking soldiers in my army. It’s a way of inspiring bonds and trust, isn’t it?”

Even Brutus? Even Hound? What a thought. But his cavalier attitude about it all was fascinating to the point of being kind of rude. She really wanted to ask, wanted to press more, but it would be wrong of her. So she just bit her lip, holding it in.

But he noticed. Of course he noticed. “I’m don’t experience sexual desire for people, Sep. I don’t dislike sex, but I’ve never really wanted it just for the pleasure of it. I’m a…” He trailed off, humming as he considered his thoughts. “Sex positive asexual? I think was the term. I don’t hate sex, but I don’t seek it out. I’m more concerned with other kinds of bonds.”

Well that made sense. “I see. Gotcha.”

He chuckled softly. “Don’t sound so disappointed.”

“What?” Well that was squeaky and unbelievable. “I’m not!” She definitely was.

“I would like to, perhaps, if you’re up for it, one day be intimate with you. I like you, and enjoy your company. I have been told of your need for physical contact of that kind, and would appreciate the chance to give that to you. I enjoy making those I care about feel good.”

So calm. So precisely given. No frills, just a statement of fact.

Still made her completely red in the face, though. She fumbled a bit, trying to look like she had her life together by reaching out to pick up her glass of juice. Yup. She wasn’t completely flustered by the revelation.

“I would have instigated some intimacy earlier, but I knew it wasn’t right. You were too stressed, and your two men have been intensely protective. I feared for my safety, honestly.” He chuckled, like it was some great joke, before sipping at his coffee. “Anyways, you don’t need to worry about it. Just know that I like you very much and appreciate your company.”

“Sure. Okay.” She cleared her throat, running her fingers through her hair. “That’s cool. But…Bane and Barsad have been protective?”

“Of course. Well, Barsad has done his best, even without his eyesight. I am told that Brutus attacked you not too long ago.”

“What? Who told you?” She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. Did Brutus say something?

“Hound did.”

Uh. The dude was nonverbal. She lifted a brow, frowning when Marcus snorted.

“He has his ways of communicating. He’s the eyes and ears that no one suspects. Anyways, he told me that Brutus attacked you, probably with the intent to rape you. Because he’s a piece of shit like that. Hound told me, I passed the word along. Brutus is now in our medical center for a while.”

“Oh.” Geez. “What did Bane do to him?”

“Broke him. Your Bane seems to be quite skilled in the realm of breaking. From what I saw, he dragged Brutus down to the main floor and made a demonstration out of him. Not sure there are many bones left in Brutus that weren’t broken. And my people, they are smart. They only watched. They know what kind of monster Brutus is.”

She bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that she found to be suddenly building. Even when she was being a piece of shit, he stood up for her. He didn’t make a big deal out of it. He just…took care of her, like always. Dammit.

“Your Bane is a good man. I admire him.”

“Yeah.” Even that sounded broken. “Are you ready to go? I could use some fresh air.”

“Of course.” Draining the last of his coffee, he stood from the table. “Let’s give you a turn around the park, mm?”

“That sounds nice.”

She didn’t need to lead alone. She had Bane. She had Barsad. And despite it all, despite her mood swings and lashing out and stupidity, they still loved her, still wanted to support her through everything. She really didn’t deserve them, but she could do everything in her power to come closer to it.

When the park came into view, she started to smile, only to let out a soft huff of pain. It was a strange sort of pain, deep and sort of in her back. How strange. She looked down, placing her hands on her belly when she saw it.

The wet stain on her thighs.

“Marcus?” Her voice quickly became shrill, startling him into moving to her side. Then he saw it, inhaling sharply.

“Holy fuck the baby’s coming.”


	29. Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, gang owned cities don't have hospitals. Sometimes life sucks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL it has been a few months, hasn't it? My bad. But I'm not giving up on this fic. I swear!

Well no shit. Thanks, Marcus. Stating the obvious. Amazing.

“Alright, this is a thing we can handle. Maybe not alone, but we can handle it.”

The babbling wasn’t very reassuring. Marcus was most definitely not used to the idea of producing life instead of taking it. Well, delivering life. Either way.

“Shall we get to a hospital?” It was weak, yeah, but it was something she managed to say. Reasonable.

“Uh, yeah, about that.” Marcus cleared his throat just as another contraction hit her, his sound twisting in concern.

“Don’t say that to me,” she groaned, cupping her hands over the baby. “Give me one good reason why we can’t go to the hospital right now.”

“Maybe because we don’t have one. We have clinics. But we do not have a hospital.”

“What the fucking fuck, Marcus? How do you not have a fucking hospital?”

“Okay, maybe don’t panic. I’m a gang lord, god dammit, and hospitals have a shit ton of government oversight that I couldn’t exactly allow. So no hospitals. We also don’t have a courthouse. So, you know, gang city.”

“We’re panicking and this is not a good idea!”

“I know!” He threw his hands up, shaking his head. “Cover your ears.”

Weird request but okay. She clapped her hands over her ears just as he slipped two fingers into his mouth, letting out possibly the loudest whistle she had ever had the displeasure of hearing. Despite how much she hated it, it got the point across, as a woman came jogging up, a twisting dragon tattooed on her arm.

“What’s up, boss?”

“Get some Seers from the closest clinic. Move fast. And give me your phone.”

“Sir.” The woman nodded briskly, yanking her phone out of her pocket to toss it before turning and sprinting off as fast as she could go. It was really great to see her hustle. She could use some hustle.

Marcus caught the phone, tapping through it with one hand as he resumed pushing her wheelchair forward, into the park. He managed to input whatever number he was trying to to enter, holding the phone between cheek and shoulder as he grabbed her chair, pushing it along faster, off of the path.

“Marcus? Where are we going?”

“Somewhere more private. Unless you want to have the baby in plain view of everyone.”

“No, I mean, why aren’t we going to a clinic? A building?” She groaned, curling inwards as yet another contraction hit her. “I don’t want to have a fucking baby in the park!”

“You don’t have much choice, September. This is happening.”

When she was a whole person again and not just someone having a baby, she was totally going to kick his ass so hard. But at that point, she didn’t have much choice in the matter. All she could do was suffer as he hoisted her out of the chair, settling her down in the grass.

“Just breathe, Sep, time your breaths. It will work.”

“Fuck you, you fucking fuck,” she hissed, slumping back against a tree. “You’re a piece of shit. In a fucking park! Because there’s no reason to even look for a goddamn hospital. This city sucks so bad.”

“Still better than Gotham. Just hold on.”

Holding on. Sure. She just breathed heavily, taking it one breath at a time. She had nothing else to do. Not like she even knew where a clinic was. She was having a baby in a park. It was not a good idea to panic.

Whatever was going on, she just focused on herself as Marcus shouted things into the phone.

Marcus finally straightened, waving over four people. One of them was the woman from before, but the three others were strange to her. All of them bore symbols not unlike stylized eyes, which, if she wasn’t in a bunch of pain, she would snap about it being a little too obvious of a symbol for people called Seers.

“Well, first things first,” one of the Seers sighed, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get them pants off.”

Ugh. Hard to be a nice person, but she managed the trick of not biting off a head as the two other Seers started to pull her clothes off. One of the Seers was a rather burly man who was very talented in picking her fat ass up to shuck her pants down. Once she was exposed, he settled behind her, forcing her to lean back against his chest. Her legs were then shoved up, and he hooked his hands under her knees and kept her spread, just like he was some kind stirrup setup.

Well while the situation sucked, but the certainty and professionalism in which he performed was kind of nice. But she was a fucked up person and had no proper priority when it came to situations.

The other two Seers knelt on either side of her, fussing over her, trying to make sure everything was set up properly. All she could do was glare at Marcus as he paced and called people. Who the fuck was he calling?

“Okay, let’s see what’s going on in there.” One beside her rummaged through her bag, pulling out a stethoscope. “How far along are you?”

“I thought I had another fucking month,” she hissed, baring her teeth at the woman. “And now I’m-”

“Yes yes, I know. I’m here. I see this happening.” She flapped her hand vaguely at Sep as she put her stethoscope in her ears, then pressed the end of it to her belly in various places. The smooth, somewhat placid expression on the Seer’s face twisted. It was a strange look. She didn’t much like that look. It wasn’t a fun look.

It especially didn’t look good when she passed it on to the other Seer for them to listen. And then the face was mimicked.

“Marcus holy fuck get over here they’re making these faces-”

But her babbling was ignored when the first Seer sat back. “Sir. Please.”

Marcus immediately hung up the phone, kneeling beside them. “What? What do you need?” The Seer said nothing, just handing him the stethoscope to listen. Fucking dramatic bitches, but they weren’t going to say anything if they didn’t want to.

The Seer looked at her finally, a weak smile coming to her lips. “I hear more.”

“What…Okay, so you hear it. It’s healthy.”

“Heartbeats, Sep. We track your beat, and a flutter…and another flutter.”

Beat. Flutter. Flutter. So. Uh. That was slightly more than she kind of wanted to hear.

“Well,” Marcus laughed weakly, shrugging, “that explains why you got so large.”

“I will fucking kill you.”

She had two babies in her. Two fucking babies. She was going to have two. She took a moment to inhale deeply. Just one moment to breathe. And then she let herself scream, long and loud and intense. It was frustration, at the very least. And panic. Something.

“Alright. Well, let’s get on with this.”

Get on with it. Get on with pushing a baby, no, two babies out of her. What the fuck. Two babies.

Marcus stayed beside her as he typed in another phone number. He looked nervous at the very least, sick at the worst. “Hello. Yes. Give the phone to Bane. The big one. The one that almost murdered Brutus now is not the fucking time to fuck with me, Rimor!” At that outburst, he sighed, lowering the phone so he could tap the speaker function. And he waited as there was fumbling, and then, the soft, wheezing breath that she was still so familiar with.

Panic really set in, rising up so fast that she couldn’t even begin to stop it. “Bane,” she sobbed, crying out to him like he could somehow reach through the phone and comfort her.

“Habibi. What is wrong? Where are you?”

“Bane, hey. So. I took September out into the city because I figured she would want some fresh air. It’s been nice, and she’s fine. She’s not hurt. She’s just…” Marcus bit his lip, meeting her eye. “She’s gone into labor.”

“Ah. I see.” There was that faint rumble as he thought, considered the battleplan of sorts. “Are you on your way to the hospital?”

“There isn’t one. I’ll get into that later. We’re in the park. Go down the elevator and tell any person you see with my sign that you need to go to the park. She is in good hands with some of the best doctors we have. She will give birth safely. Just be here.”

“I am on my way. Habibi, just breathe. You will be okay.”

“Please hurry. Please.” She sounded wrecked, which made sense. She was trying to breathe in between the contractions that built in her with startling intensity. She thought births were supposed to take forever to have a child, but it made sense that it was different, didn’t it? She was going to have two babies. Two fucking children. She was crying and shaking and she really felt admiration for the man behind her, just holding her still as the two Seers fussed over her. But despite all the admiration she felt for them, she still hated them and her whole situation. Of course she’d go into labor when she was out of the warehouse. Of course she would.

The Seer hummed, continuing to press the stethoscope in various places around her belly. And eventually, she shook her head, looking up at the man behind Sep. “They’re not in proper position. They won’t descend properly.”

“Fuck.” Marcus growled, twisting to chuck the phone across the park, ignoring the dragon woman when she went sprinting after it. “This would happen, wouldn’t it? The one day I take you out.”

Yeah, it was fucked. It was all fucked. She just choked on her tears, shaking through contraction after contraction. The stress definitely wasn’t helping.

“Straighten her out. I imagine we will have to cover her eyes as well.”

Oh. Oh god. She sobbed all the harder, trying to wriggle away, but where would she go?

“Do you have everything you need to perform this properly?” Marcus, ever the voice of reason. “Will this go right?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve done this many times. We have everything we could need. We just need her to sit still.”

“Sep, look at me. Look at me.” Marcus cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb until she met his eye, could take a deep breath. “You are going to have to have a c-section. The babies are not in the proper position to be birthed vaginally. Misha should have the proper painkillers too. You will just have to remain calm.”

“Why not? Why the fuck not? This would be my fucking life.” Deep breaths. Just…calm. “Okay, fine. Let’s do this. Let’s get these fucking things out of me.”

“That’s the spirit,” Misha said brightly, nodding to the man behind her. “You can brace her top half. Megan, you can be my assistant. Sir, you hold back the father when he arrives. I will need as much space as possible.”

She almost hated breathing at that point with how much she was focusing on it. Breathing was helping keep her calm, helping her sit still. She had to sit still as they adjusted, as the man behind her shifted them down, releasing her legs so she could straighten them back out.

Her heart was pounding so hard. It felt like it was going to beat its way out of her chest. She had no experience with having children, and there was nothing she could do to prepare. She just had to relax and let others take care of her. What a joke. What a goddamn joke. Why did people ever decide to have children? What the fuck. She wanted them out, she didn’t even want to be thinking about what was going on anymore. She was in pain and she was going to be cut open again. Again. She was such a fucking wreck.

“Alright, honey,” the man behind her finally drawled, his voice thick as he wrapped an arm over her chest, “I’m going to hold you real tight, and you’re going to breathe with me. And I’m gonna cover your eyes.” Even as he spoke, he moved slowly, slipping his arm across her chest, clamping her down just as his other hand slid over her eyes, casting her in darkness. “We’re even going to sing a little song.”

To distract her from being gutted. Cool. That was alright. She really didn’t want to think about it. She just took slow, steady breaths as her shirt was shifted away. Just focus on the low, humming voice of the man underneath her, holding her tight. Try to follow the words, try and sing, try and think about anything else.

Her life made no sense. She couldn’t have anything be normal. No. She had to try to keep breathing, keep singing when she was given pain killers, had to not panic when she felt the distant tugging at her stomach. Oh god. Oh god she was cut open, they were cutting her open in a fucking park to take out her babies. She wanted to puke. She wanted to scream and vomit and run away, but oh god she was sliced open. Her voice became strained as she tried to sing.

“There we are,” Misha hummed, the clack of metal against metal grating beside her sweet voice. “Look at that. One placenta. Looks like there’s some twins in here. Let’s get that open and…well hello there, wormies. Are you both disgusting. Yes, yes you are. Why don’t you come on out?”

More tugging ,sliding, deep inside of her and while it didn’t hurt, god, she didn’t want to be feeling any of that. There were living things in her that were being removed. She finally broke, unable to sing anymore, just falling into sobs, disgusted, terrified sobs.

“Hey now, you’re doing great. Those are some big, healthy looking babies. You cooked up some good ones in your belly.” He turned his head a little, speaking softly right in her ear. “Got some pretty lookin’ guts too.”

She snorted, a garbled sound that sounded like snot and terror. “Fuck you.”

“Misha’s got them both out right now. She’s putting you back together again. It’ll just be a minute more.”

“Actually.” Misha cut in, patting her arm, where she could feel. “You want me to make sure this doesn’t happen again?”

“Yes! Yes please, no more babies. No more of this mess.”

“Can do.”

Oh thank goodness. Sep shuddered in relief, chewing on her bottom lip. No more babies, no more fear of it. God, she could be a messy slut if she wanted. That was a nice thing to think about. Well, sure, there were diseases out there, but no more screaming, wriggling worms inside of her.

Speaking of which…

“Why aren’t they crying?” She was almost surprised to hear the amount of terror in her own voice. “Are they okay?”

“Yeah, hold on. I’m just getting you shut. They’re alright right now.” Misha fumbled around for a bit, then there was a sharp sound in inhaling, and then there was a wail. One wail, then two. Two screaming children. Her screaming children. “There it is! We were just a little plugged up, weren’t we? Let’s get some good volume going for momma.”

The man underneath her slid his hand away from her eyes, releasing her tight hold on her. All she had to do was open her eyes and actually look at her babies. For some reason, she didn’t want to look at them. But she had to. They were hers. She would be a good mother. There was nothing else to do about it. She was going to be a fantastic mother, unlike her own. She was going to do it right. So she took a deep breath, swallowing hard as she turned her head, peeling her eyes open so she could see her children.

Two, squirming little red worms, screaming on the top of their lungs as Misha and Megan wiped the gore off of them. They wriggled and bucked like being touched by the women hurt them.

“Give them to me,” she gasped, reaching out immediately. “Please let me hold them. Please.”

“Alright, hold on.” Misha jerked her head towards her, signaling to Megan to offer the baby up. It took some fumbling, but eventually, they were tucked in her arms.  
It was probably just her imagination, but it felt like they stopped wriggling so much, like they settled now that she was holding them. They still cried, still looked red and gross, but there was that twinge in her chest. She had made them. She had carried them, fed them, suffered through their kicks and thrashes within her just so she could hold them, just so she could give Bane and Barsad a family. There was love there. Probably wasn’t the right kind of love between a mother and child, but she felt pride in having had children. Nothing she had ever aspired to do before, but it had happened. She had made a thing and she was holding the thing and it was alive. She had created life. In a horrible way that she never wanted to do again, but she had made a thing.

“Hello,” she rasped at them, looking from one to the other. “I’m going to be the worst mother in the world. Well, better than my mother, but I’m going to be pretty shitty. I hope you can forgive me for that. I have a feeling that Bane will be doing most of the parenting, and that’s honestly for the best. He’s got way more love in his heart than I do. I’m a bitter little thing. I hope you got nothing of me in you.”

The man underneath her snorted, tugging her shirt down for her. Right. She was still totally exposed to the world. Not that she wanted to back in pants because she honestly felt like a mess down there and she didn’t want to think about it.

A screech of tires nearby startled her out of her reverie. Right. Right, that was a thing.

Marcus cursed as he moved to intercept, his hands lifting in surrender, in pacification, in something. But there was the thud of boots, hard and fast and suddenly Bane burst into view only to tackle Marcus right off of his feet, slamming him hard on his back into the ground. Marcus wheezed, stunned long enough for Bane to rear back and strike the man. Sep honestly expected a punch, but it was actually an open handed slap, the sound cracking through the air loudly.

“Everything awful that has happened to her is because of you!” Bane roared, grabbing the front of Marcus’s shirt to lift him slightly, then slam him back against the ground. “The Collector, the explosion, and now this? In a park? All of this is because of you!” As Barsad walked up behind them, surprisingly certain with a cane, Bane leaned down, his voice dropping into a hiss. “If I were not so certain that she cared for you, I would break you just as I broke the monster among your ranks. All of this is because of you.”

Marcus coughed, still fighting to regain his breath. “You can’t blame me for the first loss in Gotham, when you died. But yes, I gave power to the Collector. I encouraged a killing instinct that could not be contained. But the explosion was not mine, and yes, the birthing now was an accident, but I had no idea she would be pre-term. I had no idea she had twins!”

Bane hissed, lurching back as Barsad choked. Right. Surprise. Bane stared at Marcus, eyes wide before he twisted, looking to her as if just noticing her presence for the first time. Only then did he see the two in her arms, the little wriggling things that were settling even more, soothed by her warmth.

“There are two?” Barsad spoke first, taking a hesitant step forward.

“Yeah. Two.” Misha stood, brushing her knees clean. “Twin girls. Congratulations.”

Oh. Two girls. Sep found a wobbly grin spreading over her face, her eyes welling with tears. Twin girls. Daughters for Bane and Barsad.

“Habibi,” Bane cooed, slowly getting up off of Marcus, edging forward cautiously. His eyes kept flicking from the babies to her, back again, and yet, he still hung back.

“Get your asses over here and meet your daughters.”

At that permission, Bane reached back, grabbing a handful of Barsad’s jacket to haul him forward, fairly tripping the man in their hurry to be near her. They both fell to their knees beside her, almost knocking into Megan in their frantic approach. They didn’t care, their attention all on her and the babies, their hands lifted hesitantly, like they were still afraid that they could harm her.

“Are you okay, baby? Is…” Barsad was the first to rest his hand on her arm, squeezing gently. “I wish I could see you. Are you okay? I don’t…I wish I…”

Managing to fumble a bit with the babies, she reached down, pulling his hand off of her arm to guide it up, cupping it against her cheek. Once there, his thumb drifted, brushing over her smile. With that little touch, Barsad grinned so wide, so beautifully. He even laughed, so bright and happy.

“Come on. You should be allowed to hold your daughters. Help me, Bane.” She struggled sit up more, relieved to have the man helped her move. It almost ached to have Bane carefully slip his big hands around one of her daughters, but they were his too. She just watched cautiously as he cradled her so carefully, shifting her over so that Barsad could cradle his daughter in his arms. Once he had a good grip, Bane reached out and took the other for himself, cradling her so gently in his arms, like she was made of glass.

Bane shuddered, staring down at his little girl like she was the only thing in the world. “They are beautiful. They are so beautiful. I can’t…” He shuddered again, lifting the baby so he could gently, so gently, nuzzle his mask against her squirming little body. “They are perfect.”

“Yes, they are.” Barsad sank back so he could sit more comfortably, already a pro at cradling a baby properly, stroking his hand over her brow, smoothing back the sparse hair on her little head. “Our little tumor babies.”

Bane and Sep sputtered in confusion, sharing a baffled look before they looked accusingly at the blind bastard. “The fuck is that supposed to mean,” she finally asked, grunting when the man underneath her helped shift her up for Misha to clean her.

“They weren’t born. Only removed. So. Tumor babies.”

“Barsad. You’re a piece of shit.”

“I know.” Despite the comment, he smiled down at his daughter, still stroking her. “Removed in a park. What a perfect beginning for the strangest of families.”

He had a point. Maybe it was kind of perfect. She smiled at the thought, as if it was some kind of joke as she looked past Bane and Barsad to Marcus, who was slowly rising from the dirt, rolling over to look her way. She smiled at him, somehow so fond of the strange man. Despite all that she had suffered through due to his indirect influence, she wouldn’t be nearly as formidable without him. He managed a smile back before he twisted away again, rubbing his hand over his head, clearing away the grass that clung to him.

“We must name them. We must name our daughters.” Bane looked up, brow furrowing. “Something that suits them.”

And what would? Two children born in a world of confusion and war. What kind of neat little package could they put them in? There was much in a name. There was so much history, so much to see.The would be taken well into the world. Their names would express what they were.

“Kalilah and Sabirah,” Barsad blurted, starting them both. “I like those names.”

Soft names. Gentle names. The idea of calling out for her two daughters under those names just suited her just fine. And when she looked to Bane, she saw the warmth in his eyes, saw the agreement there.

“Kalilah,” Bane murmurded to the girl in his arms, smiling wide as she hiccupped.

“And Sabirah.”

Good names for good children in a strange, fucked up family. Nothing she would have ever wanted, ever thought she would have wanted, but it was her whole life. Everything twisted, everything broken was hers, and she loved each and every fractured piece. Quite a turn, but she blamed the emotions caused by baby birthing. She was even fond of the strange squirming worms that she had made with two wonderful men.

“I love you both,” she whispered suddenly, startling them into looking up. “I love you both so very much. I know it hasn’t seemed like it, but I do.”

They echoed back their own pledges of love to her, and despite how twisted and strange it was, it felt right. She had wanted her own adventure for so long. She had one, and it was the best one that she could have ever hoped for.


End file.
